Why are people calling HTC a copycat of Nokia?

[blehblehbleh]

Superficially, I think people are calling HTC a copycat because well from a distance and from the general look, it speaks of the more prevalent Lumia line.

Personally, I don't find anything really wrong with it. Like I said in another thread, I dig the color palette. I just wish HTC could've done a bit more to stand out. There's much to play around with in terms of options in bezel height and widths, size of capacitive buttons, casing materials, trim, etc. Overall it just kind of smacks of taking the easy/safe route, unless MS commanded the requirements.

 

[cp2_4eva]

They could have at least gave the 8x the two toned look that the 8s has.

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[blehblehbleh]

They could have at least gave the 8x the two toned look that the 8s has.

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That definitely would've been rad.

Also to elaborate my point above, what I'm getting at is how HTC was known for its iconic design about, what 5-7 years ago? I mean, I could be wrong, but wasn't there a time when everyone was still using plastic for the majority of their phones but HTC came out and started using nice metal finishes, etc? I could've sworn they helped popularized that look if not widely recognized for it.

It's exactly that, that I'm personally disappointed in. The 8X and 8S while still great looking phones, nevertheless should really pop out more and scream HTC and not have any confusion with Nokia however slight.

 

[brmiller1976]

I think it's sour grapes, like Apple's claim to have invented touchscreen rectangles with rounded corners.

Ironically, there's really no reason for Nokia to fear HTC (if they play their cards right). If Nokia sold the 920 at a price similar to HTC's on all three US carriers, they'd demolish HTC (assuming the 920 delivers the promised specs).

Instead, Lumia 920 is likely shipping at a higher price and as a carrier exclusive. It's not a volume play, as a result.

HTC will succeed because it's a very good phone at a great price on all major US 4G carriers, not because its phone "looks like a Lumia." 8X is HTC's Acura to Nokia's BMW 7 series.

Exclusivity = low volumes. Ubiquity means high volumes. Samsung proved this with the Galaxy line and I suspect HTC will prove this again with the Windows Phone 8X and 8S lines.

 

[blehblehbleh]

HTC will succeed because it's a very good phone at a great price on all major US 4G carriers, not because its phone "looks like a Lumia." 8X is HTC's Acura to Nokia's BMW 7 series.

Heh wtf, who else besides you is making this assumption?

 

[brmiller1976]

Nokia hasn't announced carriers nor pricing yet, but the carrier rumor mill all but has. 920 will cost more and will be an AT&T exclusive.

Thus, the very nice HTC that you can buy on T-Mobile & Verizon will be a lot more popular with T-Mobile & Verizon customers than the high-end Nokia you cannot get on your carrier at any price.

Do you disagree?

 

[blehblehbleh]

Nokia hasn't announced carriers nor pricing yet, but the carrier rumor mill all but has. 920 will cost more and will be an AT&T exclusive.

Thus, the very nice HTC that you can buy on T-Mobile & Verizon will be a lot more popular with T-Mobile & Verizon customers than the high-end Nokia you cannot get on your carrier at any price.

Do you disagree?

That's not even what I'm getting at. I'm focusing on your belief that someone even thinks that the 8X will sell because it "looks like" a Nokia. I just think that's an odd comment is all.

 

[AngryNil]

That's like saying take away the theme and the iPhone and Galaxy S don't look remotely close. They do have a similiar design language and are based on coloured plastic.

No, it's like saying a pink Galaxy S doesn't mimic the iPhone.

 

[brmiller1976]

I'm focusing on your belief that someone even thinks that the 8X will sell because it "looks like" a Nokia. I just think that's an odd comment is all.

I agree that it's odd. But that's the basis of most "copying" arguments, including Apple's case against Samsung. They argued in court, with a serious expression, that most consumers are so utterly stupid that they're only buying Samsung phones because they're fooled into believing they're iPhones.

 

[blehblehbleh]

I agree that it's odd. But that's the basis of most "copying" arguments, including Apple's case against Samsung. They argued in court, with a serious expression, that most consumers are so utterly stupid that they're only buying Samsung phones because they're fooled into believing they're iPhones.

Hmm when you put it that way, maybe that's not such a weird comment. There was that Jimmy Kimmel video...

 

[socialcarpet]

It couldn't be more obvious that they are trying to ride the coattails of Nokia's success with the N9/Lumia 800/9xx design.

Anyone who doesn't see it must be blind.

 

[WinFan1]

I think the way HTC went is good and besides its a collaboration with microsoft

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

 

[socialcarpet]

I agree that it's odd. But that's the basis of most "copying" arguments, including Apple's case against Samsung. They argued in court, with a serious expression, that most consumers are so utterly stupid that they're only buying Samsung phones because they're fooled into believing they're iPhones.

It has nothing to do with consumers "mistaking" one phone for the other. It's about attracting customers in general by deliberately imitating a popular and unique design. I am truly perplexed as to how people cannot see this. It's a scummy way to do business IMO. It just tells me you've got no class and a lame company if you have to resort to monkeying your competitors hot styles to get sales instead of coming up with your own original ideas. Leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It was obvious when Samsung did it to Apple and it's obvious now.

 

[tomatoes11]

Short answer: Because people are stupid.

Even the Samsung Galaxy S and touchwiz had more than enough differences to prevent a lawsuit. The only version that might have had somewhat of a case was not even released in North America and completely out of that stupid jury's jurisdiction.

Unfortunately for HTC, if Nokia gets good enough lawyers and gets the trial on the California courts, they could pull it off probably. That is the sad state of American patent law.

Fortunately for HTC, I don't think Nokia wants to piss off Microsoft.

 

[tomatoes11]

It has nothing to do with consumers "mistaking" one phone for the other. It's about attracting customers in general by deliberately imitating a popular and unique design. I am truly perplexed as to how people cannot see this. It's a scummy way to do business IMO. It just tells me you've got no class and a lame company if you have to resort to monkeying your competitors hot styles to get sales instead of coming up with your own original ideas. Leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It was obvious when Samsung did it to Apple and it's obvious now.

People like you leave a bad taste in my mouth. Open your eyes and look at how similar all TVs and laptops look. It is not about not being able to come up with original designs, it is about not wanting to gamble your company on a design just to be different without actually improving functionality.

I'll let you soak that one in and maybe you will see the real world instead of this magical world where all products that do the same functions look totally different from each other.

 

[ImmortalWarrior]

The issue with current Windows Phone owners is that they don't care about OEMs other than Nokia and would be happy to see them bankrupt. They don't realise that ALL OEMs need to be successful if Windows Phone is to be widely adopted. iPhone fans get criticised a lot because they're ready to buy any new iteration without even knowing what it will be like and the truth is a lot of Windows Phone owners act just like that with Lumia phones.

I find that Windows Phone users are very well informed about the different choices.

 

[cckgz4]

Why are people bashing other wp OEMS anyway?

 

[anon(5335899)]

I actually think the color thing is part of the MSFT design language for WP8. Samsung does not give a sh*t but the others will stick to it more closely.

While at first glance they may be similarities the Nokia and HTC devices are very different in design.

 

[brmiller1976]

The whole "you copied me" thing is a classic technology market cop-out for companies who have lost their innovative edge, IMO.

Apple is doing it because Samsung completely demolished them on pricing and capability, and Apple hasn't been able to respond convincingly. Some Nokia fans are doing it because they perceive the 8X as a threat (for whatever reason).

There's no reason that Nokia couldn't release a phone that's better, faster and cheaper than HTC's, other than Nokia's own choice, so the whole thing is silly. Sillier by far is the insistence by some that a particular vendor "invented" colored cases, touch screens, metal bezels, flat expanses of glass, or boxes with cardboard sleeves.

 

[blehblehbleh]

Some Nokia fans are doing it because they perceive the 8X as a threat (for whatever reason).

.... Sillier by far is the insistence by some that a particular vendor "invented" colored cases, touch screens, metal bezels, flat expanses of glass, or boxes with cardboard sleeves.

I think in this instance some of those Nokia fans aren't even thinking of the 8x as a threat at all. If anything I think it's just a simple observation that's being made. While some really may believe that certain OEMs "invented" colored cases, etc. I think in this case it's just a poor choice of words or misinterpretation that's being blown out of proportion.

I really don' think anyone's talking about a literal copy (on here at least, unless there's some big diehards), but that the color design is derivative of Nokia, and really one can't possibly sit there objectively and say that HTC didn't take the general idea from Nokia, even if at the behest of MS. Nor that at first glance certain HTC devices could be mistaken for a Nokia device (well at least for those in the know).

I mean even this guy thought so regarding the influence:

HTC Takes A Page From Nokia’s Book With Windows Phone 8S and 8X; Will It Be Enough? | Pocketnow

And The Verge even makes a casual comment about it:

HTC 8X vs. Lumia 920: Nokia and HTC go head-to-head for Windows Phone 8 crown | The Verge

Any offense taken by those claiming "copying" is probably geared more to the fact that there's a slight lack of originality on HTC's part.