Leading PC and competitive mobile phone maker Lenovo may have been overly influenced by Apple's iPhone 6 when it was looking for inspiration for its new S90 smartphone. As reported by Gizmobic (via The Independent), Lenovo's S90 'Sisley' smartphone closely resembles the iPhone 6 with a marketing push that is almost identical to Apple's own promotional materials.

Though there are small differences between the two devices, the overall styling of the S90 is remarkably similar to the iPhone 6. Both phones include a rounded metal casing and measure up with the same 6.9mm thickness and 129g weight.

lenovo-s90-main
The mimicry didn't stop with the hardware design, as Lenovo also borrows heavily from Apple's unique marketing style. The Chinese manufacturer uses an almost identical product layout and brightly-colored, people-focused images that Apple typically uses in its advertising materials.

Lenovo addressed accusations that it had copied the iPhone 6's design, stating that though there are clear "external similarities" between the two devices, there would have been no time for the company to emulate the iPhone's design so soon after its launch.

Lenovo has responded by admitting that while there are "external similarities [...] Considering the product design lifecycle of any smartphone – at least a year in planning and prototyping – it's not possible to copy a design so quickly."

lenovo-s90-mid
This isn't the first time competitors have copied Apple's iPhone. The Cupertino company waged a multi-year battle against rival Samsung over patent and trade dress infringement claims. Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi has also been accused of copying the iPhone and the iPad in its line of inexpensive smartphones and tablets, with Apple's design chief Jony Ive going so far as to call the similarities in design "theft."

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

Elbon Avatar
134 months ago
Samsung should sue Apple for not suing Lenovo over this.
Score: 58 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Glassed Silver Avatar
134 months ago


"See what we did here is remarkable.
We took Apple's proven design philosophy, tried to understand it and were honest enough to admit freely we did not and honored Apple's valuable contribution to the world of design by flat out copying their phone's design.
In the process we saved many resources around trying to come up with something that could only be of lesser aesthetics."
-Yao Yingjia (Chief Designer, Vice President of Lenovo Design & User Experience)

Glassed Silver:mac
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nattK Avatar
134 months ago
Lenovo, the epitome of chinese innovation and creativity
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
furi0usbee Avatar
134 months ago
"external similarities" LOL @ THAT!



Nothing to copy here... move along.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
newagemac Avatar
134 months ago
This is just pathetic.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thedenethor Avatar
134 months ago
They can even use the line:

"Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China"
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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