Meizu CEO feeling the pressure from Apple

In recent forum postings, Meizu CEO Jack Wong revealed that the company had been undergoing negotiations with Apple regarding the M9. Details are unclear, but Jack feels that Apple's lawyers have been using less than decent negotiation tactics. Jack also expressed that it is unreasonable for Apple to claim rights to the large touchscreen smartphone form factor, and thereby exclude other manufacturers from using it.

In another posting, Jack mentioned that Chinese IP laws were vague and unpredictable, and feared the negotiations would affect future products. In China, he sees Apple as serving the needs of a select few while Meizu could reach a larger demographic and help drive China's information revolution forward.

Additionally, Jack mentioned that he was having a hard time at the moment with these negotiations and needs all the support he can get.

Source (Chinese)

if they put pressure on meizu, they can do to nearly any other mobile phone company. Samsung, Nokia, HTC, they all have models with a huge touchscreen on the front. man, this is state of the art. I think meizu shouldn't be feared of Mr. Jobs.
What kind of support do you need Mr Wong?
I think your argumentation that 'all the multi-tuch big screen phone were somehow like Iphone in a certain extent, so nobody could blame on Meizu or any other one' is a good one.
You know what the M9 containes. If there is anything which is patented by apple or any other big company, do something. If meizu is a big threat to apple, they will do everyhing to find something. But so far I don't think so.

Yeah, apple already did tried this with nokia... had to pay huge taxes for stealing nokia inventions though

shame on you steven jobs (you damn ignorant ***************************)

take your company and go to hell

The truth is...Apple SUCKS! Try to produce a telephone that can be A GOOD TELEPHONE and don't waste time bothering other companies!!!

This is f**king ridiculous! Apple are power hungry a**holes! The last thing Meizu needs is lawyers slowing down their progress as a company which will one day (hopefully) be in the same league as HTC.

I hope this does not delay the M9 any longer. This is a phone I really want.

Hungarian? ó_Ò
I dont speak hungarian but luky enough google does ^^
There is a bit more in a phone then the OS and Apple is known to patent every tiny bit and detail so it could be that the M9 uses a switch hinge that is patented by apple (but was seperately invented by Meizu engeneers...)

Marketing nice pike. I think the whole fake. I think the whole fake. Why deal with Apple for a Android phone? Why deal with a telephone AndroidOS Apple? The M8 was understandable even for a thing, but the M9 is less than useless. M8 for the former The thing to understand, die M9-nel, this is unnecessary. The other manufacturer cseszegetné why do not you? Ein cseszegetne Chords, Why do not other manufacturers? This is a guerrilla reka M9's nothing else ....... This is a guerrilla reka M9-Hals nothing else .......

I don't understand; something's missing or J Wong is pulling another rather clever PR stunt.

No matter, Meizu's response should be: Bring it on.

Apple has no case. Much deeper pockets, true, but no case. I can't believe the legal representation Apple can afford would be advising them they could threaten litigation...in the Chinese court system, no less. Meizu is no backwoods shanzhai operation and I would guess the courts would not just slap down down a rising Chinese brand without thinking of the ramifications.

Further, I would think Apple couldn't afford the negative PR a possible case like this would generate. The press, citizens/netizens who wear their patriotism on their sleeves, Meizu fans, etc. would all have a field day. Wonder how El Jobso would like seeing rather feisty protests in front of the Apple stores in Beijing or Shanghai?

Granted, Apple likes to play hardball and the threat of litigation is sometimes enough to make a company run for cover...but what's the claim here? A big screen? You must be kidding.

On the flip side, if all this is true, then very, very interesting that Apple is watching Meizu so closely. Rather a compliment, actually. Perhaps sensing a bit of a threat in the foreseeable future?

vytautas_g:

Actually, Nokia sued Apple because Apple wouldn't bend over and pay royalties on 3G (which is supposed to be a widespread standard). Not sure if Meizu is paying Nokia, either. That court case still isn't decided, so no, Apple isn't paying Nokia anything now.

Also, guys, let's remember: the original M8 was DESIGNED TO COPY APPLE. The UI became more unique over time, but the early mockup and UI were whipped up in late January 2007 to show that Meizu would have an iPhone clone. And remember all the obvious iPod clones before that...

Claiming Meizu is a complete innocent in this is oversimplifying the case.

Originally Posted by chengdude

No matter, Meizu's response should be: Bring it on.

Apple has no case.

err.. excuse me?
I think Apple has more patents in his wallet then Meizu.
Place meizu and apple in a lawsuit, I think the outcome will be that apple buys meizu at the end... (or gets it for free).

And that´s the problem, patents are not well thought, they kill new and upcoming (smaller) companies.

So if meizu wants to go international they need a deal with apple, thus the price of the m8 will rise up. If they play it clever they stay in China and use the Chinese law in there advance against apple. Any good CEO should know this.

Commercial field is just like a intense battle field. Gaint apple would like to kill all the possible threats for precaution.
That's human nature. However, the question is everythings got a life circle, who can gurantee apple will not be the next sinking empire and then it's Meizu's turn to take critic on apple?
hahahaha,we'll see. Finally, I hope Meizu will through this crisis.

err.. excuse me?
I think Apple has more patents in his wallet then Meizu.
Place meizu and apple in a lawsuit, I think the outcome will be that apple buys meizu at the end... (or gets it for free).

Place Apple & Meizu in a lawsuit in China and are you still so confident?

That's why I'm confused...what is Apple doing in China "in negotiations" with Meizu? Yes, I realize Apple has staked a claim in China, is opening Apple stores, and has a partnership with China Unicom, but as J Wong intimated, the murkiness of the laws in China (or perhaps the murkiness of the court system itself) would hardly guarantee Apple a slam-dunk; Apple would really need to be concerned by what they're seeing out of Zhuhai...or have nothing better to do than play a rather risky legal/PR game.

Hey, I'm just armchair pontificating, but definitely J Wong has left out (probably by legal necessity) key details that would clarify much of this.

Guaranteed one thing though, if this moves forward in any way, it's going to make for great PR for Meizu...pro or con, it's still great PR.

- what is Apple doing in China "in negotiations" with Meizu?

Apple has recently began focusing on the Chinese market, with two new stores opening last month bringing the total up to 4. The iPhone 4 has sold like hotcakes and many Chinese consumers are buzzing about Apple.

It's an important market for Apple and by going through official (Chinese) channels, Apple shows that they respect Chinese laws, regulations and the way of doing things, positioning them well for the future.

My armchair pontification...

Originally Posted by Mr.lonely

Gaint apple would like to kill all the possible threats for precaution.
That's human nature.

I'd have say a##hole nature.

But we actually lack of information about the way Steevy is pressing Jack.

Job is pressing Wong same as he did with Nokia... He thinks that all GSM inventions now are property of Apple, and no one can produce new phones or have something Apple-like... Hes like Pinky and The Brain... Trying to conquer the world every morning in his stupid lab... But it's not working :D

By the way, for some statistics, so non-apple netbooks buyings in US has grown more then 200% per 09/10 period, almost same with android market... So that's why Steve is so nervous about everything...

It's an important market for Apple and by going through official (Chinese) channels, Apple shows that they respect Chinese laws, regulations and the way of doing things, positioning them well for the future.

If Apple really wants to show they "respect the way of doing things" in China, they'll have to learn a new word: Compromise.

the fact why apple is not so succsesful in China is that Wifi is banned there, the main function of iPhone, on which is based many others

Originally Posted by vytautas_g

the fact why apple is not so succsesful in China is that Wifi is banned there, the main function of iPhone, on which is based many others

Wifi is not banned any more now in China. Manufacturers can sell their phone armed with both wifi and China's native wirless data transportation treaty WAPI. However, WAPI first, no WAPI, no wifi.

I love apple, im even more of an apple fan than a meizu fan, but i think apple are only doing this so they can get the majority market in china.

I don't see how apple can attempt to strong-arm meizu in relation to the form factor of the M9 as apple would first have to deal with LG. LG had the first full frontal touchscreen phone before the iphone came out. Go look it up.

Also Apple can try strong arm all they want but lest not ye forget, apple may have their patents in America and Europe, but have they filed them in China also, if not then their patents are nothing but wishful thinking in China. Just because you hold a patent in America for something doesn't mean you have a worldwide patent for it.