When UK student and programmer Greg Hughes watched Monday’s WWDC keynote, he was surprised to see Apple rip off his ideas twice in the same feature. Not only had they taken his WiFi Sync Cydia app and baked it right into iTunes… they even stole his icon design.
You might remember Hughes’ WiFi Sync app from last year, when it was rejected by the App Store for using private API calls. After having a talk with Apple about WiFi Sync, during which exchange he was asked for a resume,Hughes proceeded to release the app on Cydia, where it’s sold more than 50,000 copies for $9.99 a pop.
I think we can all probably agree that WiFi Syncing isn’t the most original idea in the world, and if it belongs anywhere, it’s probably built right into iOS and iTunes. What’s more shocking, though, is that Apple basically just recolored Hughes’ design for their own official WiFi Sync icon.
Seems pretty shameless to me, especially considering that Apple is actually in the midst of suing one of their business partners expressly for ripping off iOS’s icon design! What do you think?
John Brownlee is a writer for Fast Company, and a contributing writer here at CoM. He has also written for Wired, Playboy, Boing Boing, Popular Mechanics, VentureBeat, and Gizmodo. He lives in Boston with his wife and two parakeets. You can follow him here on Twitter.
105 responses to “Cydia Dev: Apple Stole Both My Idea And My Icon For WiFi Sync”
that’s how i would have made the logo too. its a wifi symbol inside a sync symbol, i’d say that’s not the most original idea, either.
Ermmm the designer of that icon used Apple’s sync-icon AND Apple’s wifi-icon? So who is he to talk?
Hughes surely trademarked his icon? No? Tough titties.
I think Apple ripped this guy off. But did this guy send in a resume to Apple? He should have waited to hear back from them. Maybe they would have hired him. Instead, the punk went and released the app on Cydia. Too bad.
Or, alternatively, Apple took the symbol they’ve used since iSync and put the wifi symbol inside it. He needs to get over himself, the logo was about as original as his idea.
That’s just the standard Apple sync icon with the standard Apple Airport one. Perfectly obvious combination, using Apple’s prior art.
This is actually business. WifiSync icon and the whole app in not registered as a trademark and that’s why he should not be surprised. After, his app is illegal for Apple.
*rubs fingers together* That’s me playing the world’s saddest song on the world tiniest violin. He took the iSync and the Airport icons and jammed them together. Apple had the same idea, but made it more symmetrical. Boohoo.
The sync arrows and wifi icon are pretty much standardized. I don’t think you can claim apple “stole” those ideas. They helped establish them as standard icons.
Hmmm… Steve talked about wifi sync 2 years ago at D7 Conference
If you have the MobileMe Sync icon on your menu bar (or iSync somewhere in your applications folder), look at that. It is exactly the same image Apple used for the WiFi Sync logo. And what about the WiFi icon? The exact same as the iOS WiFi icon? Apple must be stealing from themselves too!
The icon components are not ‘original’ and anyway… It’s a jailbreak app. I wouldn’t expect the time of day from Apple.
Give me a break. That dude didn’t invent the idea of wifi sync. He may have been the first one to execute it on an Apple device, at best. That idea has always existed.
Look at that POS Zune from 4 years ago… it did wifi syncing.
Mind you, his icon looks rather better than Apple’s
This is just as saying “The city A stole the design of the STOP sign to the city B”. Any case, he used Apple standard icons. He is just trying to get his 15 minutes of fame.
heh really?
i think he stole isync icon, also sync over wi-fi is not his idea in theory…
Greg Hughes, you gotta be kidding me
You gotta admit though, that’s a pretty obvious icon.
Yeah, it’s not like the app grossed $500k or anything.
I appreciate his entrepreneurial sprit. He earned much more selling his app than he would have been paid as an employee at Apple.
However, his idea is not new or unique. And, his logo is just a copy of Apple’s own designs.
The arrows in his design don’t even make a circle, it’s oval. Get over it dude.
LOL…
“good artist copy, great artist steal” :)
1) He stole the WiFi icon from Apple
2) He stole the iSync icon from Apple
3) He did not trademark his icon (although it would be impossible given that the icon is a combination of other stolen icons)
4) He develops for Cydia, which has questionable legality
5) He would be taking on Apple
This guy just needs to keep his mouth shut before they start going after him. The guy is an idiot. He should be flattered and move on, there is clearly nothing he could or should do.
Oh please. Apple stole a non-original idea (that people have been asking for from day 1) and a non-original icon design? Cry me a river.
Yeah…. Screw any developer who doesn’t want to pay apple a cut of their income from their hard work.
I mean, Apple deserves their cut right? They invented the OS so they could sell more songs and movies on itunes and potentially profit from developers hard work. So why should they give somebody who tries to circumvent their profit machine the time of day.
/s
Yeah…. Screw any developer who doesn’t want to pay apple a cut of their income from their hard work.
I mean, Apple deserves their cut right? They invented the OS so they could sell more songs and movies on itunes and potentially profit from developers hard work. So why should they give somebody who tries to circumvent their profit machine the time of day.
/s
The new iCloud icon is a merging of the MobileMe clod icon and the iSync icons, It seems to make perfect sense that this icon would receive the same treatment. And lets be honest here, his idea in either respect to the icon or the ability to wireless sync was unoriginal. I am sure the lack of originality and a weak resume is what lead to him not receiving a offer letter in response to his resume like has been seen with other jailbroken app developers (Peter Hajas for one) and not the fact he released the app into the Cydia store.
It’s a matter of who’s idea was this first. Apple could have rejected the app because they were sitting on a similar one for awhile. Counting their hens and waiting for the perfect time as Apple sometimes does. Apple may have been holding it off until iCloud was ready, perhaps they planned to break into our wire free future with a handful of wireless features instead of one. Just cause this guy sold thousands of the apps first, doesn’t mean it was his idea first. It’s not like this guy has any chance in court either because he’s breached the software license agreement. He should have given Apple his resume instead of joining the thick-headed individuals who whole heartedly believe they can compete with the tech giant. I bet he’s thinking the same thing after seeing The Mothership plans…who wouldn’t wanna work there?!
What do I think? I think you’re desperate for clicks. What load of crock article – once again COM is proving to me that it is getting less and less desirable to read and more like Gizmodo every day.
That and plus the fact that it posts videos that can’t be watched on iOS devices. Sheesh.
How exactly did Apple rip this guy off? The logos used for sync and wifi are well known and have been used by Apple for years in their products. The combination is nothing new or surprising. As for the concept of wirelessly syncing your device? Thats hardly a novel idea either.
Your right on the money! This guy creates a ripped off version of two of Apples previous logos, photo hacks them together and cries when Apple creates the logo he WISHES he had the rights to make in the first place. This guy falls into the same category of other “genius’ ” who try making money on an idea Apples obviously going to make money on in the future. Cough, fake white iPhone parts, cough cough.
The icons looks similar, but I don’t think WiFi sync for iPhone was an original idea. First time I read about WiFi sync idea for iPhone on TechzTalk when original iPhone was launched 2007. And after that I have read it on various websites
Apple iSync icon: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wi…
Apple Airport Icon: http://assets.gearlive.com/blo…
Enough said.
A SETA (FLEXA) É DOS ÍNDIOS, O SINAL >)))) VEM DA ÉPOCA DO RÁDIO. LOGO VAMOS VER UM CACIQUE QUALQUER DA AMAZÔNIA E OS HERDEIROS DO RÁDIO ENTRANDO NESSA CONFUSÃO TAMBEM. POBRE STEVE JOBS.
PS: Alguns, creditam o descobrimento das ondas de rádio ao cientista e inventor italiano Gugliemo Marconi. Muitos discordam, afirmam que o inventor do Rádio é o brasileiro Roberto Landell de Moura(Padre Landell), nascido no dia 21 de janeiro de 1861 na cidade de Porto Alegre-RS.
apple didn’t make money off the icon, they aren’t selling the icon are they?
but can’t say anything about the idea, apple did steal their idea.
besides, think of a better icon…
“Good artists copy, great artists steal” – Steve Jobs
An Apple tree Got rippes off for Many years ago.. Apple stole an Apple.. Took a bite.. Painted it black!! Apple-tree go sue Apple Inc. For stealing ur ‘icon’!!!
Really, that lol.. Cydia logo looks like dropbox logo :p woa
It’s the most original idea if you are the one to do it first. The world is full of people who say “I could have thought of that” …. but they didn’t. Today it seem obvious to put an eraser on the end of a pencil …. but it wasn’t obvious until someone else did it first.
I’m constantly annoyed by my “fanboi” friends who are unwilling to admit Apple and even, dare I say it, Steve Jobs are not perfect. That being said, and being in danger of sounding like one them, this story seems silly to me, and yet everyone is covering it from the same perspective.
Did anyone really think Apple would never allow Wi-Fi sync? Worse yet, do people think they hadn’t thought of it until this guy wrote an app for it? And just to put my foot in it, what would you come up with if someone told you to design an icon that represented Wi- Fi + sync?
Finally, let’s not forget that this guys app was rejected by Apple, and couldn’t it be just possible because _they_ already had plans for the idea?
And I am sorry to say that the sync was not that smooth. I bought it and stopped using it after a while. It was buggy and took too long.
You don’t think too clearly do you? If a developer wants to make $10 on their app all they have to do is charge $14.49 for it on the store. Apple gets 30% the developer gets their $10. How is that an issue?
i say screw this guy. i paid for the app via Cydia, after2 or 3 months it stopped working. I e-maild him two times, never got a response as to why it wasn’t working. im glad Apple will have this on IOS5.
Nothing original in his work and since his work is based on stolen Apple software I dont really care anyway.
That’s funny. So this guy took Apple’s WiFi icon (which they’ve been using since Mac OS 10.0), put some curved arrows around it, and is bent that they chose basically the same thing now? Oh, and syncing to a Mac over wireless existed for my old Sony Ericsson P910a smart phone years before the iPhone came out. What he didn’t isn’t particularly special or original, it’s just that Apple hadn’t implemented it yet. Hard to believe it didn’t occur to him that Apple would to add that at some point in the future, and feel free to use their own icon with arrows around it.
Sorry, I’m not feeling much sympathy for him.
this.
100% agree. the app worked when it wanted to, and even when it did it was slower than molasses.
Apple has spent hundreds of million, if not billions, of dollars to develop the iTunes/App store ecosystem. R&D, employees and equipment don’t come for free, so yeah, if you want to distribute your app/music/book there you can expect to give them a cut. That’s how most stores who sell things stay in business.
No even apples icons. The official Wifi logo and the fairly standardized sync logo.
Just do a google image search for sync, you’ll find a whole bunch of icons using the same icons, more popular being MS syncing center for Windows Mobile, Firefox Sync, Windows live sync and so on…
Well, the Wifi and Sync icons aren’t apples… They are common standardized icons which just makes the claim even more ridiculous.
Also, Cydia is fully legal in every way.
Also, feel free to look at Firefox sync, Windows Live sync (Mesh now), MS Sync Center (for windows mobile), same sync icon on all of them…
So, the icon is a combination of two common standardized icons, hardly something he can claim ownership off and that applies to the idea of wireless syncing too…
Well, the idea has been around for quite a while too so…
Most commentators here have already made the point about Apple’s WI-FI Sync logo being a combination of their sync and wireless icons. That’s pretty obvious. But to go further, take a look at the background for the App Store icon on the iPhone and you will see a striking similarity between it and Greg Hughes’s logo. Take away the sync/wireless elements and with the exception of the subtle rays emanating from the centre and a slightly different shade of blue, they are almost identical. And as far as I know, the App Store icon predates Greg Hughes’s Wi-Fi Sync icon.
In short, Greg Hughes took three Apple existing design elements and created a logo from them, the one difference being his sync icon is an oval rather than a circle, and John Brownlee doesn’t accuse him of copying anything. Apple takes their own three design elements, flips the background around, colours it silver, and somehow they copied Greg Hughes???
Same thing happened to me. His support sucks.
I’m happy this guy is mad, I bought wifi sync more than 6 months ago and its still not been updated for my device (iPod Touch 4th gen)
Most of these posts discuss the icons. How about the fact that Apple turn down his app, and then rip it off by putting it in iOS? That sucks!
Umm… maybe because it was duplicating functionality Apple was already planning to deliver anyway? Why do some people think everything Apple does it thought up about a week before announcement? Maybe, just maybe Apple has a long-term, internal roadmap of features they want to add? Seriously, it takes YEARS to get some of these things designed, built, and tested before announcing it and rolling it out, especially when it’s part of a much larger redesign.
He’s not “completely out of a job” as people that jailbreak and use Cydia may and probably will continue to buy his app.
He said “questionable” legality, not illegal. A site that has malware and programs of dubious origin and IP status is definitely in the “questionable” category.
Why would they do that when the functionality has become part of the base OS?
Well the sync icon usually is 2 arrows pointing at each other’s tail forming a circle, have a look at the one in Firefox, and other apps, since it syncs via Wifi, you put a Wifi icon in the middle of it all.
This is an Android Wifi Sync app, that has the exact same icon, although its kinda lo-fi: http://www.androidzoom.com/and…
I agree. He should have at least somewhat expected it.
As others have already pointed out, Hughes copied both the sync arrows and the wifi mark from Apple. Putting them together for “wifi sync” is a no brainer.
The thing Greg Hughes apparently cannot admit to himself is that he didn’t *invent* anything. He combined two Apple icons and he circumvented Apple’s restrictions to implement a feature Apple themselves decided not to allow previously. I’m glad he did that. It’s been a useful service, while it was needed: but surely he realized this would happen eventually. People’ve been clamoring for this feature for years, and the only reason Apple didn’t adopt it before is wireless ‘G’ is slow as balls compared to the amounts of data you’d sync to an iOS device.
Plus, again, he used restricted APIs to make his app work. He agreed not to when becoming a developer. THAT was why his app was denied.
hughes should sue um to SHIT.
uh… not really. Do a google image search for WiFi logo and you’ll notice that that’s exclusively Apple’s AirPort logo, not WiFi’s.
The WiFi’s is, take a look at the WiFi logos.
Did Apple hire some “development managers” away from Microsoft?
“What’s more shocking, though, is that Apple basically just recolored Hughes’ design for their own official WiFi Sync icon.”
He ripped off Apple’s WiFi icon and Apple Sync icon.
…oh wait, seems like everyone but the author of this article noticed that :-)
How can you say his icons are a basic combination of logo’s.
Yet support Apple suing Samsung for having “rounded icons” – seriously. ROLF @ some of you.
bought his app… barely never worked on osx – no support at all… threw it away – but left him 10$ …
He didn’t have a patent so he can only claim copyright and ideas aren’t copyrightable.
As for the icon, he used the icon that Apple was already using for syncing with the existing icon for wifi, so if any one stole anything he had already done it from Apple when he made his icon. Certainly Apple can claim ‘prior art’ since their use of the two elements predates his use.
And for all we know Apple was working on wifi syncing since day one of iOS, well before this guy turned up with his app.
They can say it because that’s not the only element that Samsung copied. They also copied the notion of a constant dock, 4 icons across etc and also some of the types of icons used for certain elements. Like a flower for the photo viewer app. A flower is not so logical for such a thing that it would be common place. Like say an envelope for a Mail program or a musical note for a music player.
To claim that they got the idea from him, you would need proof that they weren’t already working on wireless syncing.
That’s ridiculous. Apple has been using its own sync and wi-fi icons for years, and now they’ve just combined these visual elements. What plagiarism is this dumb ass talking about?
Prior art is a patent term, nothing to do with trademarks.
TUAW did this same story yesterday. So who’s not being original now?
In any case, the comments below reflect that no one feels sorry for Greg Hughes. He’s whining to anyone who will publish his BS tale of woe, but he got what he deserved.
My comment on TUAW:
I actually BOUGHT “Wi-Fi Sync” and it was total garbage. And Hughes was a disgrace as a developer.
I
have a JB iPhone 4 with very few JB apps on it to muck things up. Every
time I launched it, it crashed. Was never “up” for more than 2 seconds.
And NO updates have ever been supplied in the months after I bought it.
I e-mailed Hughes and got an automated reply that says, literally, I get too much e-mail. I might reply to you. I might not.
He never did.
After
a week of non-reply or ability to get a $10 app working, I filed a
Paypal complaint. Eventually got my money back. Never did hear from
Hughes.
Hughes’ Wifi-Sync was not a unique idea and it was crap.
Apple’s will be flawless, free and “just work.”
No sympathy for this guy.
Pay with Paypal? File a “not as described” and get your money back. I did.
Pay with Paypal? File a “not as described” and get your money back. I did.
Shit app fucked my iTunes. You can go hump a tree kthx
I actually did notice that ^^
Did some searching, apple and their AirPort were among the first (if not the first) consumer wifi devices/interfaces… You learn something new every day.
Funny how it’s widely recognized as the wifi logo :p
Oh the amount things apple have popularized :p
Yea, actually noticed that after. Funny how many recognize it as the Wifi logo when it is in fact Apples AirPort logo
Well, there are some devices that won’t get upgraded to iOS 5
Specially not with that being Apples own Wifi logo…
Apple is a joke to the entire industry and US fall for it.
the official app store has malware from time to time. so does android’s app store. both definitely have apps of dubious origin. that’s a product of trying to regulate such a large and diverse software market.
no, stop signs are federally regulated.
the wifi design is owned by apple (AirPort) and the sync design is public, meaning apple can do whatever it wants with them.
:D
No not exactly. The wireless icon was being used before Apple began using it for their AirPort. If you need proof it’s simple go down to your local tech store and check out any wireless router or anything wireless. They all have that icon but don’t come with AirPort. The Airport logo is just really the wifi symbol in a white circle.
The elements of the icon aren’t unique nor are they owned by any particular party. However, the combination that he made is unique. Hell no one has seen it since his an now Apples icon.
4) He develops for Cydia, which has questionable legality
Since Apple denied his app he has sold it via Cydia.
Apple riped him. Period.
Wrong, Both icons are registered to Apple, take a look a t apples Mac OS PATENTS FROM 7 years ago to today.
Problem is folks think they are generic, but Apple used them first in this context with AirPlay and wi-fi and IT’S OS versions.
Look in a mirror, you will see the real joke. Again, it’s not Apple as you suggest. Hater.
How old are you chump.
Really?, “hughes sue um to SHIT”.
And you are part of the mentality that makes up the blogosphere. No wonder it’s filled with half brained idiots like you adding stupid comments that are not part of a conversation.
This is the future people, We need to be very worried.
Didn’t the 1g Zune have WiFi sync, it’s not a new idea only a natural progression.
seen at http://etechno.org/2011/06/did…
but thanks :d
“questionable legality” jail breaking/rooting your phone is totally legal. And one can install what ever they want on ones phone, its the law as per the Federal trade commission. Suck it up Jobs. Oh by the way Jobs nice job in stealing Android features for your new iOS release.
Sucks to that developer. His app didn’t work for me and when I wrote him on his webpage he never got back to me. Karma’s a bitch.
The “WiFi” icon and circular arrows are commonplace on computers. The Airport logo is almost the exactly the same, and iSync uses the same circular arrows. It wouldn’t be surprising at all for Apple to use those symbols for that service. Just like it was the obvious choice for Greg to come up with his logo using those elements. What other icons would he expect someone to use?
Corporations don’t do what is considered right or wrong based on our morals taught to each of us during our upbringing. Corporations can’t because they aren’t just one or two people weighing benefits over values. They can only decide what they can or can’t do. In this case it was not patented and it is the best design to explain what it does simply. Can they use it without fear of litigation and is it the best design? Yes. Someone else used their patented icon design, can they sue and win? Yes, then do it. Teams of people make decisions so that other teams of people can make decisions based on those decisions then a team of people just approves it or they don’t. There is no room in a corporation to “be nice” because by law they have to do whatever it takes to increase profits BY LAW because they are publicly traded and it is their responsibility to the share holders. A corporation could be made of all good and positive loving people and still do evil things as conglomerate because when that many people are tied together without singular responsibility for anything, the basic and primal human survivalist traits will shine though. Just look at our government. If you don’t like this model (which I don’t) then don’t buy or support corporations (which I do). Unfortunately, corporations are woven so deeply into the fabric of this American society that they basically run the government and decide what choices we are even allowed to have in almost every aspect of our daily life.
So let’s recap. Guy rips off existing Apple icons, and is then annoyed by Apple using their own icons to design a third icon.
Sure.
he didnt steal android features
He can sew for allot of money
So did leonardo da Vinci steal?!?!?
Further recap, degenerate developer who does not support his app, lies to his users, and rips off over 50,000 people, then sues Apple for doing what he promised to do in the first place. Give me a break.
Greg Hughes got what he deserves: he ripped me the money he asks for his crappy WiFi-Sync application which does not even work and few days later my assistance requests, he even closed the support platform and closed the support for the application. But he did not close his pocket to avoid my money coming in… Well, he closed his own ears too…
Bad, bad, bad behaviour.
He’s not getting richer with my money, and I’m not going bankrupt, that’s true, but it’s a matter of honor and respect.
I really hope that Apple will sue him for having even thought developing an application…
Blame on him…
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