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
137 months ago
Samsung should sue Apple for not suing Lenovo over this.
Score: 58 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Glassed Silver Avatar
137 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
137 months ago
Lenovo, the epitome of chinese innovation and creativity
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
furi0usbee Avatar
137 months ago
"external similarities" LOL @ THAT!



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

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

Popular Stories

Mayday Calendar

Apple Acquisition Hints at Upgraded Calendar App on iOS 19 or Beyond

Friday May 9, 2025 9:13 am PDT by
Apple acquired Canadian startup Mayday Labs in April 2024, according to a European Commission listing, spotted by French blog MacGeneration. The acquisition had not received widespread attention from tech publications until now. Apple is legally required to report certain acquisitions to the European Commission, under the terms of the EU's Digital Markets Act. Mayday Labs founder Jeremy...
Nineth iOS 19 Feature

iOS 19 Beta is a Month Away With These New Features for Your iPhone

Thursday May 8, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is just one month away, and there are already many new features and changes that are expected with it. Apple should seed the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors...
fortnite apple featured

Epic Games Submits Fortnite to U.S. App Store

Friday May 9, 2025 9:57 am PDT by
As promised, Epic Games today submitted Fortnite to the U.S. App Store, and if approved by Apple, it will mark the first time that the Fortnite app has been available in the United States since 2020. Fortnite will include options to purchase in-app currency from the web rather than through in-app purchase, which is what got the game banned to begin with. This time, though, Apple has been...
iOS 18

Here Are Apple's Full iOS 18.5 Release Notes

Tuesday May 6, 2025 2:17 pm PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.5 to developers and public beta testers, giving us a look at the final version of the update that will be provided to the public next week. With the release candidate, Apple provided release notes, so we have a more complete look at the new features that are included in the update, including those that weren't found during the beta...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Apple's Foldable iPhone Display Tech May Set New Industry Standard

Thursday May 8, 2025 3:29 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone will feature a new type of display panel developed by Samsung that has never been used in a foldable product, claims a source with links to Apple's supply chain. According to the account yeux1122 on the Korean Naver blog, the foldable iPhone will use a custom display process for which Apple will hold branding trademark rights, and that meets Apple's stringent ...
top stories 2025 05 10

Top Stories: iOS 18.5 Release Imminent, iPhone Rumors for 2025 and Beyond, and More

Saturday May 10, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
With Apple's developer conference where it will show off iOS 19 just a month away, the company is wrapping up work on iOS 18.5 ahead of an imminent release to deliver a few new features and updates. This week also saw a number of iPhone-related rumors, encompassing not only this year's iPhone 17 lineup but also Apple's plans for 2026 and 2027, even as Apple's Eddy Cue suggested AI could make ...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...