iPad images
http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/31/3210816/apple-ipad-prototype-images#3616444
iPhone images
http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/31/3210809/apple-iphone-prototype-pictures-cad-files-new#3616395
These the design Christopher Stringer presented in the current Apple-Samsung dispute over alleged copying of designs.
Speaking personally, and appreciate this will annoy many, I think think this is going too far. All the concepts in modern phones (any of them) have been around for years, and modern technology makes to possible to build smaller and more ergonomic designs. I wouldn’t be surprised, if you surveyed people who had never used a phone before what shape they would like to hold in their hand, they would come up with something similar .. its only a (slightly wider) flat screen version of the candy-bar. Take modern tech, strip it down to its smallest form-factor and what so you end up with? A square tile-shape would be good (better screen shape) but it wouldn’t fit the pocket!
This dispute is about design not technology: should we then start arguing about the shape of televisions, laptops, books even? Where was Apple when their computers were tower units with square monitors, wired keyboards and mice? None of these Apple invented. Sure, and maybe this is why they went for their iconic white look of the 2000’s, but the kit remained basically the same.
Its not like Apple haven’t been successful ‘enough’ (sure many great products) but isn’t this court case the road to domination? And we have seen examples of this before in IT (not looking at the world’s largest windows based OS too much), and for 15+ years of product hasn’t yet evolved into anything really ground breaking (nor has Mac OS or iOS for that matter). [to be clear, talking about OS/GUI not software in general]
Slightly off-topic, there are serious questions now about Apple’s commitment to making their products easily recyclable and repairable; is this a route to be encouraged? Of course, that’s not to say anyone else is a shining example, but it is important when we are talking about controlling the market.
Surely domination and vendor lock-in only results in reduction of choice and product stagnation? And isn’t this what stimulated the open-source movement that has made great strides in the past 20 years? Products that many are unaware of but that are essential to the workings of today’s world technology.
Ultimately this isn’t even about being the best – Apple have at most a 40% market penetration. This is all about money, and we know where that leads us ..