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Windows Phone 7 looks pretty substantially different from iOS. Unlike most of the rapid followers of the iPhone, it looks like Microsoft really tried to rethin

Windows Phone 7 looks pretty substantially different from iOS. Unlike most of the rapid followers of the iPhone, it looks like Microsoft really tried to rethink a mobile interface. It looks different and fresh, even if it's not the best mobile operating system out there. Samsung's design isn't just derivative, it's more or less a straight copy. Microsoft illustrates that there's no necessity built into the medium that requires an iOS-like interface. Apple may forever be chasing "look and feel" violations in vain, but I think they have a point when they say that Samsung's interface is basically just a rip off.

mcantelon 15y ago
> I think they have a point when they say that Samsung's interface is basically just a rip off. A grid of icons isn't exactly new. Palm did it before Apple. Windows 3.11 before Palm.
- tvon 15y ago
  There seem to be more similarities than just a grid of icons.
- Samuel_Michon 15y ago
  "A grid of icons isn't exactly new. Palm did it before Apple. Windows 3.11 before Palm." Apple's Newton OS came three years before Palm's Pilot. Apple's Mac System came 8 years before Windows 3.11. They all used grids of icons, it's part of the desktop metaphor. If that were the only thing Samsung copied, I doubt they would be getting sued now.
chc 15y ago
Correction: It's Google's interface. Apple is suing all of Google's hardware partners, but the software Apple is complaining about is Google's. It isn't in the All Things D article, but TechCrunch's coverage includes the important fact that the suit includes the Nexus S, which is stock Android: http://techcrunch.com/2011/04/18/apple-sues-samsung-claims-its-android-devices-are-copycats/ http://techcrunch.com/2011/04/18/apple-sues-samsung-claims-i...
- Groxx 15y ago
  Phone vendors customize the default UI pretty heavily sometimes. In this case, it appears they customized it to make it look more like iOS.
  - chc 15y ago
    As also mentioned elsewhere, the Nexus S — which is included in Apple's suit — is completely stock Android as far as I know, so Samsung's modifications seem to be irrelevant to Apple's beef with the phones.
    - Groxx 15y ago
      /me looks around for Nexus S photos Yeah, there there's too much of a difference (IMO), especially as the device itself looks substantially different. Android, I think, looks plenty different to avoid the suit - the Galaxy S in particular, though, doesn't. Not sure what their aim is there.
- Samuel_Michon 15y ago
  Samsung doesn't use Google's stock Android UI. It uses its own TouchWiz UI [1], which it also put on its proprietary OS phones and Bada phones. HTC also doesn't use Google's stock Android UI. It uses its own Sense UI [2], which it also put on BREW and Windows Mobile phones. Other Android handset makers also created their own custom UIs. Motorola has Motoblur [3], SonyEricsson has the 'UX' platform [4]. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touchwiz http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touchwiz [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTC_Sense http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTC_Sense [3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motoblur http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motoblur [4] http://www.xperiax10.net/2009/11/18/se-launches-nexus-ux-platform-websdk-for-android-symbian-development/ http://www.xperiax10.net/2009/11/18/se-launches-nexus-ux-pla...
  - chc 15y ago
    I know all that, but the Nexus S — which is included in Apple's suit — is completely stock Android as far as I know, so Samsung's modifications seem to be irrelevant to Apple's beef with the phones.

mcantelon 15y ago

> I think they have a point when they say that Samsung's interface is basically just a rip off. A grid of icons isn't exactly new. Palm did it before Apple. Windows 3.11 before Palm.

tvon 15y ago
There seem to be more similarities than just a grid of icons.
Samuel_Michon 15y ago
"A grid of icons isn't exactly new. Palm did it before Apple. Windows 3.11 before Palm." Apple's Newton OS came three years before Palm's Pilot. Apple's Mac System came 8 years before Windows 3.11. They all used grids of icons, it's part of the desktop metaphor. If that were the only thing Samsung copied, I doubt they would be getting sued now.

chc 15y ago

Correction: It's Google's interface. Apple is suing all of Google's hardware partners, but the software Apple is complaining about is Google's. It isn't in the All Things D article, but TechCrunch's coverage includes the important fact that the suit includes the Nexus S, which is stock Android: http://techcrunch.com/2011/04/18/apple-sues-samsung-claims-its-android-devices-are-copycats/ http://techcrunch.com/2011/04/18/apple-sues-samsung-claims-i...

Groxx 15y ago
Phone vendors customize the default UI pretty heavily sometimes. In this case, it appears they customized it to make it look more like iOS.
- chc 15y ago
  As also mentioned elsewhere, the Nexus S — which is included in Apple's suit — is completely stock Android as far as I know, so Samsung's modifications seem to be irrelevant to Apple's beef with the phones.
  - Groxx 15y ago
    /me looks around for Nexus S photos Yeah, there there's too much of a difference (IMO), especially as the device itself looks substantially different. Android, I think, looks plenty different to avoid the suit - the Galaxy S in particular, though, doesn't. Not sure what their aim is there.
Samuel_Michon 15y ago
Samsung doesn't use Google's stock Android UI. It uses its own TouchWiz UI [1], which it also put on its proprietary OS phones and Bada phones. HTC also doesn't use Google's stock Android UI. It uses its own Sense UI [2], which it also put on BREW and Windows Mobile phones. Other Android handset makers also created their own custom UIs. Motorola has Motoblur [3], SonyEricsson has the 'UX' platform [4]. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touchwiz http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touchwiz [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTC_Sense http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTC_Sense [3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motoblur http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motoblur [4] http://www.xperiax10.net/2009/11/18/se-launches-nexus-ux-platform-websdk-for-android-symbian-development/ http://www.xperiax10.net/2009/11/18/se-launches-nexus-ux-pla...
- chc 15y ago
  I know all that, but the Nexus S — which is included in Apple's suit — is completely stock Android as far as I know, so Samsung's modifications seem to be irrelevant to Apple's beef with the phones.