

Ask HN: My app's been copied.  What do I do? - dave1619

We've had a very successful iPhone app on the market for the past 2.5 years.  We've been planning on releasing an Android version within the next 4-6 months.  However, today we found out that somebody in the Android Market has copied our app almost identically.  They released it about a month ago.  It copies our layout EXACTLY, our functions, our look, even graphics look similar.  Now, this isn't a sort of copy, it's almost an identical copy.  If it was just 60% of our app that was copied, that's one thing.  But it's 99% of our app that's been copied.  I'm concerned that our iPhone users who switch to Android will be confused that we made the app, and also that it will hurt our future Android endeavors.  So, what can we do about it?  Can we send a cease and desist?  Are there any laws to protect us?
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khanm
Your best bet is to contact a patent lawyer. You actually have something here
as it's called "prior art". Your product is prior art and they have stepped on
you somehow. Let it be loss of revenue etc..

Basically your product predates theirs and you have a case. Also let the
lawyers handle any communication as you may be stepping out of bounds. (let
them handle it)

And be happy that someone is copying you, It's a sign of flattery. Plus they
have made their Android users as a few marketers for you for free. Every time
an Android users comes in contact with a iphone user who appreciates that app
they will look for it in the iphone app store.

good luck.

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16s
If they used your trademark (registered or not) then they broke the law.

If they wrote an app that looks like yours, most likely they've done nothing
wrong. Many apps have only one look. Calculators for example. They all have
similar or the exact same buttons, layouts, colors, etc.

~~~
consultutah
Trademark is probably your best bet. If they haven't used the name, you're
probably out of luck.

You can take it as a badge of honor that someone liked your idea enough to
copy you. I've had one of my iphone apps copied, not quite as thoroughly as
you say, but enough to know that I _inspired_ them. I say, have at it - if
they're making the same kind of money I am from it, it definitely cost them
more to make than it's worth. ;-)

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Jsarokin
Contact a lawyer. I'm not one, but there are laws that protect you
(probably... Do you have any trademarks, patents?). Also, You have
intellectual property rights to your app regardless of patents or trademarks.
If its a blatant copy, you probably have means for suing them and getting some
$$ back.

Again, not a lawyer, I could have said something completely wrong, but as far
as I know what I said above correct.

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ludicast
No advice but my sympathies. That really sucks.

What I would do in your shoes - obfuscate the code if possible, iterate
rapidly (nobody can execute like you), and move a lot of logic to the backend
where nobody can steal your code.

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iamchmod
Lawyer up if the app is valuable - eg has the potential to make you over 100K,
if its worth less than that, send a nastygram and move on to better apps.

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saundby
Talk to a lawyer even if it's worth less. Even if all you do is a nastygram, a
nastygram on a lawyer's letterhead is worth far more than one from you. It
won't be very expensive, but may have very valuable results all by itself.

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pkamb
Do they use your name?

~~~
dave1619
The name is similar but not exactly the same.

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sushumna
So wats the name of your app...any screen shots of your Copycats app for
comparision?

~~~
dave1619
don't have permission to release name or screenshots. but it's basically
identical.

~~~
bricestacey
It took me about 2 minutes to find your company... I would recommend using a
throwaway account if privacy is a concern.

~~~
dave1619
Thanks, will do.

