ZTE marketing director Lu Qian Hao has taken to Weibo, the Chinese social network, to point out to Huawei CEO Yu Chengdong that the Nexus 6P looks awfully similar to the “elegant” and “stunning” ZTE Athena. This phone is also known as the Grand S.
Looking at images of each phone, there is no question there is a similarity. The camera design is obviously the biggest ripoff if there is one, but even that isn’t identical. Other than that, one can argue that the rounded corners of the Nexus 6P is very similar to the Grand S.
The problem with all of this is that it’s nearly impossible to design a smartphone that is purely unique. We are talking about a rectangle with a display. There is only so much you can do. The corners and the sides can only be rounded or straight.
There are plenty of other examples of phones that appear like copycats, and ZTE isn’t immune to it. How about the ZTE Blade S6, which looks very similar to the iPhone 6. Even the Huawei P8 looks very similar to the iPhone 6, and it also sports a similar camera design as the Nexus 6P.
Furthermore, Nokia’s PureView 808 sports a similar camera design as the ZTE Grand S, but it launched a year before it.
So let’s rehash things. ZTE is claiming the Nexus 6P is a ripoff of the Grand S, which theoretically should be considered a ripoff of the Nokia PureView 808 since it was released before the Grand S. Who should be mad at who here? I am all mixed up.
The bottom line is that manufacturers need to stop worry about who is copying who. It’s a smartphone with limited design choices. Instead, take pride that you created something that others also think look good. It’s no different than automobiles. Take a look at other cars the next time you take a spin. You will be surprised at how many of them look similar. Smartphone manufacturers shouldn’t be treated any different.
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