Funny how "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" turns into "this was stolen".
I would sympathize with Mr. Jobs here if his company wasn't the most valuable in the world, that continues to deliver record-breaking profits and generates enough wealth to make many a small nation jealous.
My point is not that Apple deserves to be ripped off because they're flush, but rather that customers know the difference between great products and obvious imitations. Those same customers are the ones contributing to the incredible wealth creation around Apple.
In short: when you're the heavyweight, don't sweat the knockoffs.
I couldn't agree more. If this report is true it makes me sad that Jobs would take this so personally. The iPhone and iPad were brilliant products that Jobs should have been proud of. They were so far ahead of the competition that it's inevitable that others would copy. It's not like this is the first time Apple has been copied. Everyone at Apple should be proud to have helped create the future, even if it is dominated by knockoffs, it's not like it's hurting Apple's bottom line to their detriment. To the contrary, having Android snapping at its heels has got to be pushing Apple to continue to innovate and do better. I would like to think that's what Jobs' vision would have been, and that taking personal offense at the copycats was just a knee-jerk response that would have mellowed over time.
I would sympathize with Mr. Jobs here if his company wasn't the most valuable in the world, that continues to deliver record-breaking profits and generates enough wealth to make many a small nation jealous.
My point is not that Apple deserves to be ripped off because they're flush, but rather that customers know the difference between great products and obvious imitations. Those same customers are the ones contributing to the incredible wealth creation around Apple.
In short: when you're the heavyweight, don't sweat the knockoffs.