Don't want to wait for an iPhone? Skin yours.

Author: Brett Thomas
Published: 15th January 2007
Comments (9) Stumble
Don't want to wait for an iPhone? Skin yours.

"Leggo my interface!" - Apple is dropping lawsuits like candy to keep the iPhone interface exclusive.

Well, you knew it would happen - wannabe iPhone holders are already going in droves to Windows Mobile forums on sites like xda-developers and Brighthand. It seems the new look has already been skinned onto Smartphones, not even a week after its release. Of course, you can guess who's not happy with the news.

Apple has gone full tilt against the "offending" sites, threatening lawsuits for those who do not pull the skins off immediately. The skins have been designed for a number of competing PocketPC/Smartphone programs, most notably the popular Wisbar Advance Desktop by Lakeridge Software. Once up and running, the free skins transform the normal Windows Mobile 5 (WM5) interface into the polished look of the iPhone.

For those not familiar with skinning programs on the WM5 Smartphones, they don't actually add any additional funcitonality to the device. Much like Stardock's popular WindowBlinds and DesktopX, they simply change the visible interface to something more appealing to the user. However, Apple feels that even copying the icons of the newly announced iPhone is just too much.

Even several news sites have been sent cease and desist letters and emails for either linking to or displaying the skins. So, of course, we have chosen to do no such thing - you'll just have to find them yourself if you're interested in making your Smartphone look more savvy.

Have you got a thought on the skins? How about Apple's quick behaviour regarding them? Is this genuine protection, or just an overly litigious company at its best? Tell us your thoughts in our forums.
Quote quack 15th January 2007, 14:21
Overly litigious.
Quote DXR_13KE 15th January 2007, 15:31
this was kind of predictable.... even the acts of apple..... next stop, someone makes a PDA that does the same things as a iphone but has user serviceable batteries and all the other stuff iphones does not do...... and apple suing their asses.
Quote plagio 15th January 2007, 15:46
iPhone ? Enough already
Quote Phil Rhodes 15th January 2007, 16:02
What, they like it? How dare they!

Faster, attack lawyers! Kill, kill, kill!

Phil
Quote Spaceraver 15th January 2007, 17:37
top reason not to support apple..
Quote randosome 15th January 2007, 19:15
do they even have a case - i mean i wonder

if they patented any of this stuff (assuming its patented) would it be under iPhone - which is a trademarked name which they are soon not to be able to use
I think they probably saw round this, or that the way patents work protects this, interesting if true though

on another note, is it even possible to patent how something looks, i mean look at OSX and windows
Quote jezmck 15th January 2007, 20:45
apple always release details and photos/screen-shots of their upcoming products way early - why?
Quote Nexxo 15th January 2007, 20:48
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spaceraver
top reason not to support apple..
Or Microsoft. ;)
Quote sadffffff 15th January 2007, 22:38
lol, dicks
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