Do you really believe companies should have the freedom to clone successful products and flood the market with knock-offs?
Imagine if some up-and-coming auto maker started making cars that look exactly like (insert your favorite luxury brand here) - except it doesn't go as fast, the steering sucks, the upholstery has gaps, etc. And then imagine a bunch of consumers not only buying these cars, but naively insisting their car is actually better than that luxury brand they've never owned and ridiculing the owners of the luxury brand for being gullible fanbois for overpaying for "premium" quality that they don't (and probably can't) appreciate.
It's not that I'm a snob (I drive a rusty Subaru if you care), but I am glad we live in a place where good design and good engineering is valued and where companies unwilling to invest in design and R&D cannot simply steal the hard work of others.
Why would anyone care that someone else has purchased a cheap knock off of something he owned?
Unless, of course, the only reason to own it is status.
But I'd hesitate to equate a Samsung smart phone with a knock off Louis Vitton handbag, for example.
I don't really understand the undying adoration of Apple. The tech industry has always been a fast moving, ultra-competitive industry where blatant ripping off of features is expected. If my competitor has a new feature that people like, you can bet the farm that everyone else will implement that same thing and try to leap frog the others in the process.
Imagine if some up-and-coming auto maker started making cars that look exactly like (insert your favorite luxury brand here) - except it doesn't go as fast, the steering sucks, the upholstery has gaps, etc. And then imagine a bunch of consumers not only buying these cars, but naively insisting their car is actually better than that luxury brand they've never owned and ridiculing the owners of the luxury brand for being gullible fanbois for overpaying for "premium" quality that they don't (and probably can't) appreciate.
It's not that I'm a snob (I drive a rusty Subaru if you care), but I am glad we live in a place where good design and good engineering is valued and where companies unwilling to invest in design and R&D cannot simply steal the hard work of others.