The argument would be reasonable if Apple hadn't exacted hundreds of millions of dolars from competitors for "copying" superficial and trivially obvious UI elements from iOS.
No one is arguing that this sort of copying is wrong. Instead, they are merely identifying the inherent hypocrisy and irony in Apple's actions over the past year.
I agree that patents are imbecilic and Apple v. Samsung was one of the lowest points in the industry's history, but it just seems absurd that Apple can lament how other's have "copied" them, only to turn around months later and "copy" wholesale many features from other platforms.
Can Apple take elements from Windows Phone and Android? Yes, that is reasonable and benefits the industry as a whole. Do I, as a current Apple user, benefit from this process? Yes; good design trends make for a better experience. Does it seem dickish? Yes.
No one is arguing that this sort of copying is wrong. Instead, they are merely identifying the inherent hypocrisy and irony in Apple's actions over the past year.
I agree that patents are imbecilic and Apple v. Samsung was one of the lowest points in the industry's history, but it just seems absurd that Apple can lament how other's have "copied" them, only to turn around months later and "copy" wholesale many features from other platforms.
Can Apple take elements from Windows Phone and Android? Yes, that is reasonable and benefits the industry as a whole. Do I, as a current Apple user, benefit from this process? Yes; good design trends make for a better experience. Does it seem dickish? Yes.