From the “he must be doing something right” department: An Apple attorney sent a note and called designer Antonio De Rosa this week, asking him to adjust some of his design concepts for possible new Apple products because they look “too real,” according to De Rosa, CEO of ADR Studio.
“I received a call from an Apple attorney asking me to adjust some of my concepts because they were considered too realistic,” De Rosa wrote Wednesday on X. He told Cult of Mac it came as quite a shock.
Update: De Rosa responded to Cult of Mac‘s initial inquiries and we included them below.
Apple tries to adjust designer’s product concepts because they look ‘too real’
Cult of Mac has written a lot about De Rosa and his ADR Studio — see the list of articles below — because his design concepts for possible Apple products are so well-executed and compelling. We even profiled the man and his computer gear in an interview we ran as a Setups post. But we suppose there’s no higher praise for his concepts than Apple’s legal department getting in his face, right?
“You know you’re on the right path when a legal team comes after you for being ‘too real’ haha,” quipped a commenter on the X post, below.
Apple contacting a concept designer in this way seems unusual, and perhaps even unprecedented. Cupertino has gone after product leakers, of course. It shut down rumors site Think Secret in 2007, for example. But it doesn’t usually go after concept designers. It’s hard to say what legal basis it may have without further information. Apple could be motivated to do something like this if it thinks the designer is getting inside information, like some leakers do, or maybe it just thinks De Rosa’s highly realistic renders might confuse the public, as the lawyer’s note, below, suggests.
I received a call from an Apple attorney asking me to adjust some of my concepts because they were considered too realistic. pic.twitter.com/e5PGOVT7tj
— Antonio De Rosa (@aderosa75) August 15, 2024
The call from the lawyer De Rosa mentioned followed up on the lawyer’s note below. It expresses concern some of De Rosa’s concepts might confuse consumers:
Apple appreciates your creativity and enthusiasm for the company, and does not generally object to your website or designs, but there are certain pages/designs that Apple worries may look too real, and may actually create consumer confusion. Rather than request that you take them down entirely or make some kind of blanket changes, we’d rather talk through the nuances of the issue and ideally find a reasonable solution that works for everyone.
De Rosa confirmed the post on X above came from him when Cult of Mac inquired. And he also confirmed the lawyer’s contact came as quite a surprise.
“Yes absolutely, I didn’t expected that: When the attorney called and presented himself at the phone, I believe it was a joke,” he told us. But he declined comment on the designs in question and indicated the discussion is ongoing. “I express my total availability to avoid any misunderstanding and miscommunication, so I’m waiting for the next steps.”
Read more on Cult of Mac about Antonio De Rosa and his concepts:
Photo: Antonio De Rosa/ADR Studio
- Marvelous iPhone 15 concept showcases sleek new design
- iPhone Studio? Concept mixes Mac Studio design with Apple’s handset.
- If Apple made a pro camera, here’s what it might look like
- Designer dazzles with MacBook Pro MX1 concept [Setups]
- Folding iPhone concept video mixes rumors and dreams
We published this post on August 15, 2024, and updated it with comments from De Rosa early on August 16, 2024.
