Quantcast

ZOMG! Maker of Chinese iPad clone P88 to sue Apple for cloning its tablet!

p88.jpg
Did Apple really clone the P88? It kinda reminds us of a giant iPhone!
Since we broke the story of the "pre-emptive cloning" of the iPad (and here's another story of the same device back in Oct 2009) by Chinese company Shenzhen Great Long Brother Industrial Co., Wu Xiaolong, the president of the company has been an angry man. Earlier today, he fumed to our friend Aritz Parra of El Mundo, charging that Apple has not only replicated the design of its multi-touch tablet, but also the device support and the sleeve. They're identical, he says.

Wu added,

"I was very angry and flabbergasted when I saw the news of the iPad presentation two days ago... It is certainly our design. They've stolen because we present our P88 to everyone six months ago at the IFA (International Electronics Fair in Berlin)."

Sales of the P88 haven't been too bad, but "if the iPad enters the Chinese market, we will definitely take a hit," says Wu. He adds that he has already applied for a patent for the product last May -- a process that can take up to a year in China. "We'll have to follow the law," says Wu, admitting that it will be difficult to take on Apple in the United States, but "if the iPad enters the Chinese market, we will sue them this spring."

Apparently, the Great Long Brother isn't the only company mulling legal action against Apple. Japan's Fujitsu is also thinking of suing Apple. It claims that its its US subsidiary first launched the "iPad", a sleek handheld multimedia device with a 3.5-inch screen, way back in 2002.

Expect to hear more of this in the days ahead. Meanwhile, all we really want to know is: When is Apple going to launch the iPad Nano? Oh wait a minute. We already have the iPhone!

Before we go, here's one person's forecast of what Lord Steve Jobs is going to launch later this year. Happy weekend everyone!
apple-evolution.jpg

Contact the author of this article or email tips@shanghaiist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

Comments [rss]

  • David

    The reason the iPad looks like a P88 is because the P88 looks exactly like what it is: a ripoff of the iPhone's case design and multitouch interface, but larger.

  • UncleCheese

    This is probably just another case of dirty, tosser Chinese trying to play politics and steal money or IP from the West.

  • rushour

    Apple tablet had been cloned 6 months before it was born?

    I think to call Apple Ipad a Shanzhai is more proper.

  • nanheyangrouchuan

    Hardly, just a cheap iPad clone, another failed Chinese product pasted together with melamine, lead and cadmium.

  • Holy Crab

    I actually checked out this P88 device last November, too bad the battery was dead. I just can't see any resemblance to iPad. Let's see, iPad is matt aluminium, slightly curved, very thin, has couple of tiny buttons and holes on the sides. P88 is thick, polished black plastic with a chrome bezel, kind of boxy design similar to a netbook.



    Could it be that they talk about the front? I don't think so. it's just a LCD panel and there is nothing u can do about it, that's how they all look when you add the support frame.



    I really wonder what's going on, I have seen dozens of these tablets over the years, none of them have looked like the iPad.

  • Siwon

    there's no pricing on the chinese firm's website and customer reviews say it actually sucks or something

  • http://www.joopdorresteijn.com

    Hey, that is the picture from our blog! (thenextweb.com/asia) :D

  • nanheyangrouchuan

    And coincidentally, another designer at Apple's hardware producer in China committed suicide right before the iPad launch.

  • Kenneth Tan

    Hmmm... where did you get that? Have you got a link for us?

blog comments powered by Disqus

personals

Enter our FREE personals site!

send a tip

tips@shanghaiist.com

Contribute

Latest Tip:

Since I think of you as a chiller and a much more productive edition of me, I just printed out this
[more]

Latest Photo: