“Apple has accused a minor Korean portable music player manufacturer of illegally copying the design of its mega-selling iPod mini portable music player,” Cho Jin-seo reports for The Korea Times. “iops, the fifth largest MP3 player seller in South Korea, said Thursday that it had received an official complaint from Apple in October which demanded the Korean firm stop manufacturing and selling its two MP3 player models _ iops Jock and iops Z3. Apple insists that the Jock and Z3 models copy the exterior design and case colors of the iPod Mini, especially the layout of a display screen and a round-shape control button on the front panel. iops rebuffed the claim, saying it is waiting for further action from Apple. The Korean firm said that it is expecting an international legal suit from Apple.”
Cho Jin-seo reports, “Apple controls more than a half of the world’s MP3 player market this year. But it hasn’t been as successful in South Korea. According to a survey by Danawa.com, the largest Internet electronics shopping portal, Apple was the fourth largest seller in South Korea with an 8.6-percent share. Iops follows with 4.8 percent. Reigncom’s iRiver leads the market with 41.5 percent, with Cowon’s iAudio and Samsung’s Yepp following. Compared with Apple’s iPod with a similar price, iops’ products provide more features. Though it costs only about 160,00 won, the Jock model can play video files, and has FM radio and voice recording functions. Ipod Nano has 2-gigabyte storage, but doesn’t have such features and the price starts from 208,000 won.”
Full article here.
Advertisements:
The New iMac G5 – Built-in camera and remote control. From $1299. Free shipping.
Apple USB Modem. Easily connect to the Internet using your dial-up service. $49.00.
The New iPod with Video. The ultimate music + video experience on the go. From $299. Free shipping.
Connect iPod to your television set with the iPod AV Cable. Just $19.00.
Related articles:
iPod shuffle rip-off maker Luxpro’s Chairman: patents do not cover appearance – March 15, 2005
Apple moves to stop CeBIT presentation of Luxpro’s ‘Super shuffle’ iPod shuffle rip-off – March 14, 2005
Attention Apple Legal Dept: Luxpro debuts blatant ‘iPod shuffle’ rip-off called ‘Super shuffle’ – March 10, 2005
those things just look CLUNKY
Does the concept “original idea” even exist with asian tech companies?
Sure it does.
Sony came up with the idea of installing DRM rootkits on users harddrives aaaaaaall by themselves….
reary biiiiiig probrem.
With the iPod mini no longer being produced, you cannot really mistake this player for an iPod. Especially the proportions are really different.
doesn’t surprise many that apple doesn’t have a hold of the market in korea. Korea has country loyality over buying something that is of better quality. An example is people in the states that are very wealthy and can buy any luxary car they ant but end up buying a dawoo or hyundai because its a korean brand.
B-Sabre:
Actually the Sony root kit came out of Britian.
So did Jonathon Ives (the iPod designer)
Detrermining any connection is left to the reader.
Theft by Asia and the Far East is becoming endemic.
I hope Apple will take them down and set the example for others thinking of doing the same…
Sic ’em, Apple.
That is a bit similar, and they definatly take some design cues from Apple, but I don’t think those are similar enough to warrent legal action.
BECOMING endemic? Try HAS BEEN for a decades! The problem with dealing in the Asian markets is that culturally, they have no qualms about stealing a good products design and copying it almost exactly. This started in Japan in the 70’s with what are now known as “lawsuit” guitars. Dead ringer knockoffs of Fender and Gibson guitars were so good that even Stevie Ray Vaughn’s main stage guitar was a Tokai strat copy. There is a famous Fender ad from the 80’s of SRV on stage where they edited out the “Tokai” on the headstock of his guitar. These guitars forced Gibson and Fender into the Asian market because they had no means of legal recourse. They sued the guitar makers to prevent them from selling them in the US market. Thus, the “lawsuit” moniker. China is now the number one threat to this and the largest emerging market. A double edged sword, so to speak.
God DAMN they’re ugly
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
Tell Bill what he’s won Bob… we’d send you a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe but at $1699 we can’t afford it! Musicians who know don’t buy Korean made guitars. The Ibanez made there pale in comparison to the Japanese models.
The problem with American guitars in the 80’s was that they were terribly overpriced and not very well made; just like our cars. The Japanese made better equipment for less dough. A winning formula in most poeple’s opinion. Yet everyone complained that the Japanese were beating us unfairly. No one seems to make that argument anymore because it was mostly just nationalism. Eventually we learned and started making better cars (and other stuff).
Regarding the iPod rip-offs there are really several issues here. Are they selling these iPod knockoffs outside of Korea? If not who cares? Let the nationalists beat their chests with pride as as they listen to their comrades singing bad renditions of our bad Top 40 hits all the while the rest of the world buys and uses the real deal. And we can stop them from selling their crap here if we really want to. Apple is #1 in MP3 players worldwide with over 30 million sold to date. That is two thirds the population of Korea. Their nationalism will lose out in the end (as it usually does).
The China issue is a bit thornier. But in the end Apple needs to protect their ideas, innovations, and products from thieves the world over. Not just from the Koreans. Not an easy task especially with the huge developing consumer base in China. But in the end the Chinese and Koreans will have to compete in the world market. Things are different now than they were in the 80s (NAFTA alone changes things).
Just keep those flash memory units a cummin’ boys and we’ll continue to let you think that your opinions matter to the rest of the world.
These Korean mp3 player companies have a lot of balls. First Creative declares war (later to yell “retreat”) and now we see these chubby fakes that look like a fisher price iPods for toddlers. Then they tell Apple “go ahead and sue us”. Maybe their ceo can try pulling one out of his jeans pocket, too.
The iPod mini vs. the “iops chunky”.
By the way, I just love the “i” in “iops” and “iRiver”. Way to broadcast to the world that you don’t have an original though in your head, jerks.
Whats the point? If it looks like an ipod, may as well get an ipod.
the iops looks like it was designed by Tiki, mrs. Wang’s feeble-minded youngest boy
I especially like the “Albino Nipple” control system. I don’t think Apple has to worry too much about this becoming another Fender copy situation…
Creative is singaporean, not korean.
And, it’s the overall look of the mp3 player that’s clearly a copy of the mini. The colors, the wheel and screen. It’s chunky, but that’s because they suck at copying, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t try.
Those asian companies learned how to copy from US companies. Clear, biggest copier in the world is located in Redmond. If they can become so big at that, then it must be a good business model.
MW “brought” as in: ‘who brought them on this marvelous idea in the first place?’