It’s getting difficult to keep up with the pace of Samsung’s slavish copying.
John Brownlee reports for Cult of Mac, “Samsung’s predilection for shamelessly ripping off Apple’s design is well documented at this point.”
“If Samsung’s ever going to quit ripping off Apple’s design team and make their own damn products, they show no sign of abating, as the latest product design to be ripped off by Samsung is their new Chromebox, which looks almost identical to the Mac mini: a tiny aluminum box with a black circular opening at the bottom,” Brownlee reports. “Unbelievable.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Maybe Samsung doesn’t understand what copying means? Something’s getting lost in the translation, that’s for sure.
You want to know what’s really unbelievable? That, after half a decade, at least, of Samsung’s slavish copying, Apple continues to do billions of dollars of business with Samsung. Apple, which has enough money to build or bankroll anything they want, like a chip fab, or a touch screen display factory, or anything they could ever need.
“Oh, you copied our iPhone, our iPod touch, our iOS home screen, our icons, and our Mac mini? Here’s another three endless German lawsuits and, oh yeah, by the way, a $10 billion contract for touch screens.”
Something just does not compute here. If you get mugged, do you buy the leather for a new wallet from your mugger while pressing charges? If you’re Tim Cook, you do.
Apple could have – and should have – dropped Samsung like a bad habit years ago. Not one red cent should be going from Apple to Samsung today. It’s a travesty. It’s poor planning. And it’s bad business. The only conclusion we can draw is that Tim Cook, operations genius, boxed Apple in and is now stuck; beholden to a den of thieves. That sort of “decision making” doesn’t bode well for Apple’s future. It really doesn’t.
Here’s the question Walt Mossberg should have asked Cook onstage at D10: “Excuse me, Tim, but WTF are you still doing any business at all with Samsung?”
Wouldn’t you love to hear the answer to that one? Walt could use Keynote to flash all of Samsung’s knockoffs of Apple’s designs on the big screen behind Tim while he sputtered and stammered.
Next shareholders’ meeting or conference call, somebody might want to ask Mr. Cook that one.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews readers too numerous to mention individually for the heads up.]
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second try.
I disagree. I say -1. MDN, take a breath. As many posted here Sam Dung and Sam Dung components are different companies. And from what I read, Tim Cook makes samsung the component supplier pay thru the nose to supply Apple and keep other companies from getting the contracts. While they make profits, its pretty low.
Also, Apple is bringing on other suppliers as they are able.
Just a thought.
“Know your enemy and know yourself and you will always be victorious.”
AKA
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
There is a reason. Tim is the Don Corleone of tech now…
“We have seen the enemy, and he is us.” (At least it looks just like us…)
Revolting.
I love it — I’m standing in line now waiting to buy one! Cool.
People will buy fake Gucci Bags and ripped off designer glasses from China and still get that high feeling they bought something of value… they believe there is value in the brand name. Even ripe-off t-shirt provide this boastful feeling.
But wait, this Samsung, a only copy that is fashioned after Apples Mac mini – as close as legally possible. Just the look not the brand name.
Hmmmm, Okay, I am now stepping out of the line… just convinced myself I don’t want the Samsung until they silkscreen a Apple logo on it.
Besides, it will run Google Chrome and the music bought from Google store and rented videos Just are at the same price as iTunes – so why bother? Rather a lose – lose situation if you buy it.
I see no difference.
One says, “Mac mini”, the other says,”Slavish, Shameless, Samsung, Slithering, Slimy, Senseless, Sad, Stupid”.
Don’t know why people are so upset.
and diamonds are diamonds…
no matter where they are mined and cut right ?
all look the same
Lol – Can Apple fail at this also ????
Disjusting!
Commentary on why Apple does business with Samsung. It’s simple, really. Samsung leads the market in flash memory, followed by Micron. In order to corner a market, Apple has had to do business with its enemies to shut out further competition. Apple has bought up the majority of the stock of flash and is fighting to do the same with the latest and greatest panels. They’re fighting Samsung in court to keep them in check on their phone business.
I Hate Samsung ! Bleah
What you see from here ain’t what you see from there
Apple does business with samsung because love them or hate them, they deliver on a schedule and meet critical quality and quantity benchmarks.
Lets get real here MDN for a moment. If Apple could get what they need from other suppliers they would have done it by now. Obviously the whole equation is a bit more complicated than you guys can wrap your heads around.
Throwing money at a problem does not magically solve it. Apple has invested in other companies and tried to shift some work to other suppliers, sharp comes to mind. In the end if they are still doing the majority of their business with Samsung that means the other attempts have not met or exceeded Samsung’s abilities yet.
Nothing would make you guys happy imho. If Apple dumped samsung tomorrow and then hit snags delivering on quantity or quality you’d be the first parrots screaming about how they screwed up and put their ability to deliver product at risk. You’d want to know why your ’employee’ Mr. Cook could have screwed up so bad.
I’m gong to trust that Tim has a damn good reason why Apple still uses Samsung just as there is a good reason he is running Apple and not you.
Unassailable logic, for which MDN is rather famous:
“If you get mugged, do you buy the leather for a new wallet from your mugger while pressing charges? If you’re Tim Cook, you do.”
If you sell wallets for a living and need to continue shipping while you find another supplier of top grade hides you do.
Completely agree. You will buy leather from them if they are the best in the market. You got to have the best supplier in the deal, if you want to make the best products
Tim Cook waiting for the next prey (erm, company that is better) 😉 -> https://www.camerocks.com/more_exif.php?pid=13619#prettyPhoto/0/
Samesung as well as other factories build things to Apple and other customers’ design and specs, they do not sell OFF THE RACK parts and it’s not uncommon for a company to make and sell parts DUH
“Apple, which has enough money to build or bankroll anything they want, like a chip fab, or a touch screen display factory, or anything they could ever need.”
To add to what the original comment said- Apple hasn’t always had a 100 billion dollars in the bank either. The money has mostly come in last 3 (arguably 5) years and companies the size of Apple, with all their contracts and consumer responsibilities, don’t exactly shift course on a dime. I emotionally agree with MDN, but the argument doesn’t make business sense.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again here: MDN’s take on this is ABSOLUTELY JUVENILE.
Real adults understand that, as Really says, like it or not, Samsung meets Apple’s schedule, quality and quantity requirements. Apparently, this is too complicated a concept for MDN to grasp.
Another adult concept that MDN doesn’t seem to get is that you don’t build manufacturing capacity, with an alternate supplier, at anything less than a cost of billions of dollars and years of time. Apple has repeatedly struggled with getting Sharp and others up to speed on displays, but in the end having to go to Samsung because – duh – they could meet their technical, quality and quantity requirements.
Apparently MDN believes that all you have to do is build a factory and begin stamping out whatever you want to make. Jeezus, MDN, are you REALLY that STUPID??!! That might work if you just want to make a piece of Asian plastic crap, but Apple has higher standards. You’d think MDN would know that, but apparently not…
Something else MDN doesn’t seem to understand is that global parts sourcing and Samsung’s criminal copying are two separate issues, only connected in MDN’s juvenile mind. I am glad that Apple is run by adults who are putting its product quality and the ability to meet demand ahead of a childish need to get revenge on somebody they don’t like.
Finally, by taking a crap on Tim Cook’s decision-making, MDN conveniently ignores that the sainted Steven P. Jobs was Chairman and CEO of Apple for four years and three months of the last five years. Jobs was willing to be patient, and so is Cook.
So I have a suggestion, MDN: STFU
Gee, Ralph, tell us exactly how you feel. I have to agree with you. However, your post will not soothe the tempers of the rabid fanboy faction who must live each day knowing that Samsung components dwell in their Apple products, silently mocking them.
Apple product is always samsunged by other company. MS Windows is also a samsung from Mac OS. I think all product is samsung each other these day….
I think Apple could run a very effective ad campaign showing Samsung’s slavish copying. It’s not like Apple to do something like this but it may be warranted now. It’s absolutely ridiculous. A good ad campaign can paint Samsung in a very bad light and may get people to reconsider buying copycat devices.
I like the ad idea… “Don’t be confused by the imitation lookalike iPhone/iPad/computer… It doesn’t work like one”
Samsung has run negative ads about Apple, why is it now that we’re turning the other cheek?
They took a Mac mini and spray painted it black? That’s sad
Does anyone have legit numbers on what Apple buys from Samsung every year?
It really would be strange if those numbers aren’t trending downwards over the past five years.
But OTHO, those components have to come from somewhere and Apple has introduced 3 or 4 major product lines in the last five years–iPhone, iPod touch, various other iPods, AppleTV and of course the iPad.
But I have to mostly agree with MDNs take.
Your supposed photo of a Mac Mini does not look like any Mac mini I have seen or can find. Weird if you ask me. Look at the Apple store or any other images and you will see there is little resemblance. If the mini looked like that Sir Jonathan would be blushing and Steve Jobs would be in a heavenly rant.
Never looked at the underside of a Mini, have you?
lol sean… you’re not serious, are you? Take a look at the bottom of a mini before you put your foot in your mouth. That black disc unscrews so you can get inside the machine or change the ram.
Funny, I found that photo on Apple’s website in about 1 minutes. Look at the second photo on this page:
http://www.apple.com/macmini/design.html
Another question cam be put as . . .
Why does Samsung supply Apple with critical parts and keep them in business when Apple is always suing them?
Contracts, darling, contracts.
Boycott Samsung. Found this link: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CFkQFjAB&url=http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boycott-Samsung-Electronics/269607401610&ei=tCDJT9quB4Hm2gWStrnbCw&usg=AFQjCNEDP7sUewkYSKjR-CxKBBUGVJG2UQ&sig2=oMkyBSNLdsfN0-wzPn-J7w
It seems that patents r not worth the paper & the money it cost to get one anymore. It take so much more money defending & the time to go through courts. That Samsung could have sold millions before the court heard them out. Then a judge could throw out the whole case. It’s just not worth it in my opinion. Just look at soon of the case before the courts today.
I totally agree to everyone here that so far posted a comment. Apple is the leader in their field and Samsung is slowly going down the tubes like the other electronics manufacturers. I feel they are trying to blur the line between them and Apple to confuse the regular consumer. Yes, Apple will go to the courts to fight them but that takes time, it will give Samsung a chance to sell a few to keep their heads above water until the court tells them stop selling them. I also feel that Apple is working on a way to slowly move a way from Samsung as a supplier. Right now Samsung is making Apple happy by suppling what ever Apple needs. But, I am sure, that Apple is exploring other avenues to find new suppliers that can replace Samsung. Another thing to look at it is: “Copying is the greatest form of flattery”.
imitation is the … Flattery
It’s not unassailable logic. There’s a lot of technology behind designing and manufacturing screens and chips. Apple would have to develop all of that too while avoiding infringing on many patents on those as well.
Apple has to invest in other suppliers, which it is doing, help other suppliers develop superior IP to Samsung, which it is doing, and move gradually away from Samsung, which it is doing!
Do we all wish it could be faster, YES, and I’m sure Tim Cook would be the first to say so.
Apple has been investing an awful lot of money in capital equipment of late… I would not be surprised to find that at least some of that investment is aimed at reducing their reliance on Samsung. Chip fabrication, in the US, for processors or memory may be part of Apple’s plan. Tim cook hinted at this recently…
Soooo…the next time you’re about to say “copy” or “rip off” or “plagiarize”, just say “Samsung”!
No reason why they should not copy. What or who is to stop them. Since both Apple and Samsung both effectively has endless resources to fund legal battles, patent Law will never be a decisive barrier. The law is much to timid and malleable. Besides, Apple’s own failure to continue pushing it’s computer business forward has opened the door to Samsung. I for one will look seriously at their mini if the price is write and if I can run UBantu on it.
Don’t worry Apple – Chromebox is no threat to you. It’s not even a real computer. The specs are laughable and it appears to be aimed at running Chrome OS. I wish it were real, but it’s not…sigh
MDN: Perfect take. Perfect comment.
Samsung = SameDung = SOS (Same Old Shite).
In this case of auto-mimicry, at least there is the solace that no one with half-a-brain will be buying Chrome OS anything. It’s nothing more than a glorified WebTV.
Oops. Wrong century. 😛
Long term Apple has to start looking at whatever it takes to make products in America and Europe, copying everything like Samsung and most of the Asian countries involved in electronics are doing, is getting to be laughable. Everything is going out the back door (from Apple subcontractors ) and across the street in Korea or China to other companies, making money short term in Asia can only last so long before it really bites you in the ass.
American and European countries have to change their anti-business attitudes, which won’t happen because of both personal and corporate entitlements.