The photocopiers have been in overdrive in Cupertino

[neiltc13]

Now that WWDC is over, we've all had a chance to take in the announcements. However, something that struck me was just how many of the concepts presented were very similar to offerings from other companies.

Normally when Apple introduces something that has been seen elsewhere they put their own spin on it or make it quite a bit different while retaining the core functionality.

However, many of today's offerings looked like they had been put through a photocopier (remember Bertrand Serlet's "Redmond, start your photocopiers!") and simply added to iOS with very little changed.

Here's a few examples:

Notification Center / Android Notifications

iMessage / BlackBerry Messenger

iOS Split Keyboard / Windows 8 Split Keyboard

iPad Safari tabbed browsing / Android 3.0 tabbed browsing
I'm not going to claim that either "invented" tabbed browsing, but it seems a little weird that Apple waited until after Google had shown how to do tab management on a tablet before debuting virtually the same system.

iPhone dedicated camera button / Windows Phone 7 dedicated camera button
It is a requirement for all manufacturers of Windows Phone 7 handsets to provide a dedicated hardware button to operate the camera shutter.

iOS camera launched from lock screen / Windows Phone 7 camera launched from sleep + lock screen
Likewise, the camera button must also be functional when the phone is in sleep mode or when it is on the lock screen.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I find it funny. Apple must of been talking about themselves when they said 2011 was the year of the copy cats.

 

[DisMyMac]

They'll take credit for Blu-ray when it comes to the Mac.

 

[lewis82]

iOS Split Keyboard / Windows 8 Split Keyboard
Image.

This feature has been announced 5 days ago. I doubt they would have chosen to implement it during these 5 days, before a keynote.

 

[dukebound85]

im waiting for a certain poster to come in and say that apple really originated these ideas and the others are blatantly ripping off apple's ip

 

[neiltc13]

This feature has been announced 5 days ago. I doubt they would have chosen to implement it during these 5 days, before a keynote.

I agree, but it's still interesting that both were announced at such a similar time.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I agree, but it's still interesting that both were announced at such a similar time.

if you go digging around Android market place the someone already made the thumb keyboard and easily could of stolen them from that idea. The thumb keyboard has been around for a while on Android.

 

[*LTD*]

From what I can see, Apple's implementation looks miles better.

Hope Google and the also-rans sent people to take notes. WWDC was really a training seminar for the rest of the industry. Problem is, now there's even less of a reason to trade down to their fragmented products.

 

[xUKHCx]

if you go digging around Android market place the someone already made the thumb keyboard and easily could of stolen them from that idea. The thumb keyboard has been around for a while on Android.

It was around years before on the UMPCs and probably around before those too.

Samsung Q1 from 2006, before the iPhone/Android was even made.

 

[Eidorian]

It was around years before on the UMPCs and probably around before those too.

Image

Thanks, I do recall seeing the thumbs keyboard running on XP from ages ago.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

It was around years before on the UMPCs and probably around before those too.

Image

Samsung Q1 from 2006, before the iPhone/Android was even made.

Well that is a nice touch. Just more proof that Apple copied it.

 

[ChazUK]

I'm happy with what was announced but it's obvious there was some inspiration from the competition.

Overall what was announced makes iOS that little bit stronger as a smartphone platform. I'm looking forward to the update.

 

[*LTD*]

Well that is a nice touch. Just more proof that Apple copied it.

With the effect that people will actually care about it and want to use it.

Not sure what happened before but had I not been shown the image of the Samsung Q1 I'd never known it even existed (and I'm quite sure barely anyone remembers that Samsung brick to begin with.)

Some ideas are just really poorly implemented or are shoved on to a device that has so many other features that are so poorly implemented that what good there is goes to complete waste.

There's a lot of IP out there that should really be in Apple's hands, but the world aint perfect so there you have it.

 

[dukebound85]

There's a lot of IP out there that should really be in Apple's hands, but the world aint perfect so there you have it.

I bet advocates for every other company think the same thing

strange how that works...

 

[neiltc13]

With the effect that people will actually care about it and want to use it.

Not sure what happened before but had I not been shown the image of the Samsung Q1 I'd never known it even existed. Some ideas are just really poorly implemented or are shoved on to a device that has so many other features that are so poorly implemented that what good there is goes to complete waste.

There's a lot of IP out there that should really be in Apple's hands, but the world aint perfect so there you have it.

That's interesting because you often speak of the Windows tablets that were released prior to iPad and I'd say that the Samsung Q1 is quite probably the most widely known of those.

 

[Eidorian]

With the effect that people will actually care about it and want to use it.

Not sure what happened before but had I not been shown the image of the Samsung Q1 I'd never known it even existed. Some ideas are just really poorly implemented or are shoved on to a device that has so many other features that are so poorly implemented that what good there is goes to complete waste.

There's a lot of IP out there that should really be in Apple's hands, but the world aint perfect so there you have it.

A lot of it also involves propaganda.

I am still wondering how Launch Pad is going to be so much more successful than the 8 years Exposé has had. It is terrifying enough to the average user.

 

[*LTD*]

A lot of it involves also involves propaganda.

I am still wondering how Launch Pad is going to be so much more successful than the 8 years Exposé has had. It is terrifying enough to the average user.

Everything in the same place. One gesture does it all. You see everything at once. Seems the obvious thing to do. I used an early version of Lion back in March. I saw Launch Pad work and immediately recognized how simple and obvious a feature it was. In fact i felt much the same way when I saw the iPad demo back in early 2010.

It should have been implemented earlier but at least we've got it now.

 

[Eidorian]

Everything in the same place. One gesture does it all. You see everything at once. Seems the obvious thing to do.

Stand back as I scare the daylights out of the secretaries with a feature I have been using for nearly a decade? The same people that do not even use Cmd + Tab?

 

[*LTD*]

Stand back as I scare the daylights out of the secretaries with a feature I have been using for nearly a decade?

It's actually easier to navigate through than Stacks, with the added benefit of unifying it with the very familiar iOS interface. It ties it all together.

 

[AlphaDogg]

Normally when Apple introduces something that has been seen elsewhere they put their own spin on it or make it quite a bit different (I'm thinking of Dashboard Widgets/Vista Gadgets) while retaining the core functionality.

Apple released Dashboard widgets before Microsoft released Vista Gadgets...

Notification Center / Android Notifications

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see any similarities here...

 

[Eidorian]

It's actually easier to navigate through than Stacks, with the added benefit of unifying it with the very familiar iOS interface. It ties it all together.

They have never used iOS though. They have been using OS X since 10.2 and Windows when needed. Throw it into the expanding pile of power user features.

 

[neiltc13]

Apple released Dashboard widgets before Microsoft released Vista Gadgets...

Haha, I realised that after I had typed it but thought I had edited it out.

 

[maflynn]

Some ideas are just really poorly implemented or are shoved on to a device that has so many other features that are so poorly implemented that what good there is goes to complete waste.

Yeah it was so poorly implemented that apple decided to copy them. Seriously, other manufacturers can do a better job then apple and the android's notification is just that. So much so apple couldn't "improve it" so they just copied it.

 

[Liquorpuki]

Not sure what happened before but had I not been shown the image of the Samsung Q1 I'd never known it even existed (and I'm quite sure barely anyone remembers that Samsung brick to begin with.)

The UMPC was actually really hyped up as a next gen device back then and Samsung's was the one model you'd see everywhere. This was back in 06.

But after release, hype faded out because it was expensive, nobody knew what they would use it for, and the mfg's failed to market it.

I remember because I was in the market for a tablet back then and ended up buying a Fujitsu P1510d instead.

Anyway, given people have been using smartphones for almost a decade already, it makes sense there'd be a common set of features demanded by users. Apple is just slower to implement, which is why half the time everyone's like FINALLY. I could care less if they rebrand or copy, as long as they're listening and as long as it works.

By the way that split (thumb) keyboard is the only way you can type 2-handed without putting the device on a table. Which is why it makes sense no matter what device it's on.

 

[r.j.s]

Yeah it was so poorly implemented that apple decided to copy them. Seriously, other manufacturers can do a better job then apple and the android's notification is just that. So much so apple couldn't "improve it" so they just copied it.

Agreed, the new iOS notifications seem just like a themed version of Android's, organized into categories. I expected more from Apple.