Knockoff iPods Given as Swag at Economic Forum, Apple Threatens To Sue
8:24 am, May 22nd, 2009, Leander Kahney

Swiss insurance company Mobiliar gave knockoff iPods to guests at the Swiss Economic Forum. Pic: Berner Zeitung.
The head of Apple Switzerland has threatened legal action after a Swiss Insurance company gave 1,200 iPods to bigwigs at the tony Swiss Economic Forum. Trouble is, the iPods were cheap Chinese knockoffs.
At the Swiss Economic Forum last week, the insurance company Mobiliar surprised guests with an MP3 player that looked very much like a second-generation iPod shuffle.
But when Adrian Schmucki, the head of Apple Switzerland, received his, he threatened legal action against Mobiliar.
Add insult to injury, several of the guests asked Schmucki if the knockoffs would work with iTunes.
The Swiss Economic Forum is a two-day gathering of Switzerland’s leading companies, politicians and academics.
Berner Zeitung (Google German-to-English translation).
Many thanks to Renato Mitra of ApfelBlog. Link to Renato’s post.
Posted by Leander Kahney in Apple, Humor, News, iPod | Comment on this article












okay that is a total fail. I mean its tacky enough to give away knockoffs but to do so when a member of the knocked off company is there. oops
Lucas, on May 22nd, 2009 at 9:00 am
What a dumb thing to do. How could such a move do anything but make people think badly of this insurance company. Apple will be on their case for sure but imagine how disappointed the guests must be that they don’t have real iPods.
Keith Thomas, on May 22nd, 2009 at 10:08 am
This news is already outdated… Mobiliar insurances have agreed out of court with apple to replace all the fake shuffles with real ones for free – if the end user wants to do so.
Mike, on May 23rd, 2009 at 12:00 am
… why would they, the nock off’s work probably better anyway … and don’t forget, iPots are a nock off (with modern technology) of the old walkman (1978) from Sony … so what …
Cheers
Erwin Hofmann, on May 23rd, 2009 at 2:31 am
Now I know where not to buy insurance from.
Partners in Grime, on May 23rd, 2009 at 8:06 am
That was in very bad taste. I do not see myself inviting my friends home, and then giving them Korona or Budweizer
Carlos, on May 25th, 2009 at 10:56 pm