Imitation Is The Sincerest Form Of Stealing Someone’s Design: HipChat vs Messages

Clearly there needs to be a workshop or CBT or something on trademark in Cupertino because Apple simply cannot stop infringing! As you see here, the handsome icon for the Messages app looks a lot like a reversed version of the icon for HipChat’s group chat service. HipChat CEO Pete Curley took it in stride, assuming that they would be the ones who would have to change their logo in order to appease the great Moloch of West Coast.

“I doubt we’re on Apple’s radar, but it sucks that we’ll probably have to change our icon because of this,” he said.

Knowing that I had a scoop on my hands, I pressed him for more information.

“What are you guys going to do?” I asked.

“I was thinking of releasing a new version of our app with this as the icon.”

Chin up, Pete. We’ll keep using you until they sue you into oblivion.

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