Lenovo KIRFs again with the oPhone UI

by Nilay Patel posted Mar 24th 2009 at 6:33PM

Alright, we have no idea why Lenovo's phone division is suddenly pumping out copycat handsets, but these supposed shots of the Android-based oPhone's UI look awfully familiar, don't you think? Combine that with the equally-fishy rip of Samsung's TouchWiz UI found in the recently-announced X1, and it more or less seems like Lenovo's running a high-end KIRF outfit over there -- no wonder this stuff never leaves China.

[Via The Raw Feed]

Filed under: Handsets, Others, China Mobile, Android

Tags: android, kirf, lenovo, ophone, ophone ui, OphoneUi, rumor, rumors

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

pheer6224 @ Mar 24th 2009 6:51PM

Ok, I acknowledge that the icons are rounded squares. But seriously, I think we aren't giving Chinese companies enough credit, there are only so many ways you can make a touchscreen UI look, and the rounded icons came from Palm in the first place. I just wonder what would happen if China was left alone long enough to separate itself from the American market and see what happens.

Highly Ranked

KilgoreTrout @ Mar 24th 2009 8:59PM

No man, you don't know what you're talking about.
I agree that there are only limited ways to make a touch phone look like, but there are infinite ways of writing software and UIs and until now all companies developed their Ui to fit the features of their hardware: HTC's touchFLO does'nt look like Samsung's TouchWIZ and the SE X1 UI does'nt look like any of them, for their new Arena , LG designed a new very attractive UI and so did Toshiba for their TG01.
But Lenovo did'nt just get inspired by Samsung's TouchWIZ (which could have been forgivable) they copyied outright: the two UI are indistinguishable.
The concept, the icon recall methods, the design , the widgets themselves , down to the colours and the fonts are absolutely the same, They did'nt even bother to redesign the radio player or the music player. for which are available even many freeware alternatives.
No, Lenovo in this occasion just brought shame on its name and confirmed all the prejudices about china's lack of respect for the creativity and ingenuity of other companies.
Moreover when given the possibility of choosing between the original or the copy , sensible consumers will always choose the original, so even under a commercial point of view I doubt that Lenovo choice would make much sense.

Neutral

aaronz8 @ Apr 20th 2009 6:44PM

"china's lack of respect for the creativity and ingenuity of other companies."
china ≠ lenovo. one is a country while the other is a company.
yes I do think you are that dumb to not know those two are different things.

"Moreover when given the possibility of choosing between the original or the copy , sensible consumers will always choose the original, so even under a commercial point of view I doubt that Lenovo choice would make much sense."
You should doubt it very much, because some "fakes" are much better than the original. For example, the NOKLA phone booted faster than a comparable Nokia, and even ran Symbian. It is a copy but did it so that its better than the "original." I think people would buy that phone.

Neutral

JustMe @ Mar 24th 2009 8:47PM

If the Chinese market was separated from the American market? Are you kidding? The Chinese market is so export-dependent on the western markets, it would shrivel up and end up back pre-Mao. They need us as consumers just as much as we need them as producers. Without each other we are screwed. It's called a global economy, look it up.

Neutral

Chris B. @ Mar 24th 2009 10:34PM

Leave it to those wacky Chinese!!! Apple spends a wad of dough employing thousands of Chinese, and this is what they get for love? Apple, bring your manufacturing jobs home - we won't steal from you!!! You've got corporate espionage going on across the Pond - your stock holders must love that.

Neutral