Nokia to sue HTC over Lumia copies? Damn right!

Curved front glass, black front frame against a colourful polycarbonate border and back. You might say that’s the Nokia N9 or the Nokia Lumia range. Whilst most of the market stuck with their iPhone clones *sam*cough* Nokia tried something different, to which even Apple used a Lumia to signify a unique, non Apple design (when attacking the GalaxyiPhone).

Bright colour border, tapered corners (inspired Moto droid), design evolution prior to N9/Lumia.

This design was striking, award winning, and turning heads of fans and even Nokia naysayers. It’s no surprise that we’d see other manufacturers inspired to follow this route. Amazingly, it’s not Samsung. Probably too busy stalking Apple (joke!). It’s HTC. Despite HTC’s WP7.5 specs being technically higher than Lumia, Lumia’s design and build attracted consumers away from HTC’s Droid slapped with WP phones.

Prior to Nokia N9/Lumia, HTC devices have had their standard black/grey designs. But now the reaction of many blogs and tech fans is the strange resemblance of HTC’s new WP8 devices to Nokias. Polycarbonate? Check. Curved screen? Check. Bright colours? Check. We should have seen it since the One X was thought to have been N9 inspired. But to be fair on HTC, One X was different enough.

The choice word popular in youtube comments was ‘ripp off’. Whilst it’s ok to take design cues, what irks me is how HTC’s designers dare say they’ve come up with a completely new unique design.

PS. Those saying they look alike because it’s Windows Phone – erm, HTC made WP before and after Nokia and until 8X/8S did not resemble Lumia. Should such a design be so obvious and natural, why weren’t HTC making Lumia looking phones before?

Daring new designs of Lumia has NOTHING to do with Microsoft (or Windows Phone). That is Nokia through and through, trying to cut it through against the boring, safe competition. In a way, it’s nice to see Nokia setting trends, with HTC’s “copy” reinforcing the design of the original (which also forces Nokia to continue innovating). But it’s also annoying that HTC just took a shortcut from the designs and risks Nokia took.

Even when the HTC was leaked as the Accord, the reactions was that it was a Lumia clone.

Quite rightly, Nokia then is suing HTC.

The reports are saying Nokia is preparing to get HTC 8X banned in various parts of the world from going on sale when it will launch in November. Nokia has said in reports that the front-face of HTC 8X looks identically same as of the Lumia 820 followed by side-curves of the phone body.

http://www.pc-tablet.com/6648-nokia-sue-htc-8x-windows-phone-8-smartphone-design-copied-lumia-820/

Source: pc-tablet.com

Cheers Muerte for the tip!

Below is a supposed tablet from HTC. Yet another ‘unique’ design.

Category: Nokia