back to article Leaked photos of iPhone 5C parts portend ugly Google legal battle

Photos of cases and parts of the oft-rumored, lower-cost iPhone – which has been referred to in multiple outlets as the iPhone 5C – have flooded the interwebs in recent weeks, but a new set raises the spectre of an ugly legal battle between Apple and arch-rival Google. We refer to an assortment of photos of what are said to be …

COMMENTS

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  1. Christopher W

    Unsophisticated buttons?

    They'll fit right in with the unsophisticated UI then!

    1. returnmyjedi

      I hope you're not referring to iOS 7, which is going to magical. Not that it's anymore magical than iOS 6 which is of course, err, magical.

      Magic!

      PS. Those buttons look magical.

      1. Darryl
        Trollface

        Magical. That's why they made it look like My Little Pony, so the colours will fit in just fine

        1. Vociferous
          Facepalm

          You mean they're slavishly copying Microsoft?

          (http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/windows-8-anime.png (yes, that's the real Japanese version of Win8 pro))

          1. Michael Habel
            Alert

            So that's what Hachi-tan looks like then....

            /!\ For Me-tan...

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Fixed

          "Magical. That's why they made it look like My Little Pony, so their punters will fit in just fine"

          1. wowfood

            Re: Fixed

            The iPhone will never be as popular as MLP!

            *cough*Dashisbestpony*cough*

            1. Rukario

              Re: Fixed

              > The iPhone will never be as popular as MLP!

              iBrony?

      2. Chris 171
        Meh

        I'd go as far as REVOLUTIONARY!

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        "I hope you're not referring to iOS 7, which is going to magical"

        Yes - apparently it's a straight port of the Windows Phone UI...

      4. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Magical...

        AND revolutionary. You left out revolutionary.

        And lethal cunning...and an almost fanatical devotion to the pope. Or wait...I may be confusing things.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      It will

      It will satisfy the cravings and give hope to all of those Android users who were unable to afford an iPhone but now might.

      1. Goldmember

        Re: It will

        My last 3 'droids have all cost more than the equivalent Jesus phone. Then again, they have all actually been good at what they do.

      2. Kay Burley ate my hamster
        FAIL

        Re: It will

        It's not about capitalist/childish dreams of have the biggest, best or most expensive.

      3. Arnold Lieberman
        Joke

        Re: It will

        A fool and his money...

      4. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: It will

        "It will satisfy the cravings and give hope to all of those Android users who were unable to afford an iPhone but now might."

        And they can finally ditch that virus protection software for good, plus get some decent software that they'll actually have to buy, bless 'em.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The hues are nothing like the same.

    1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
      WTF?

      Uninformed opinion! They FEEL the same.

    2. John 104

      @AC colors

      you are looking at them wrong

    3. Seanie Ryan
      Thumb Down

      holy crap !!!

      is there no end to the lengths these crap journalists will go to to try make up a story out of absolutely FUCK ALL.

      God almighty, so anyone who has used colours in their products are now copying Google? INSANE

      if you were in any way UNBIASED, then where was the article saying that Google copied the original Apple logo by using colours.

      FFS, i'm off.

      1. Turtle

        @ Seanie Ryan

        Although I am not sure, nevertheless I will, making an effort to be generous, assume that the article was an attempt - however feeble and tedious - at humor.

        That doesn't mean that the article isn't moronic....

      2. Darryl
        Gimp

        Re: holy crap !!!

        Wow, either extremely sensitive about any fun poked at Apple, or time to switch to decaffeinated.

      3. oolor
        Holmes

        Re: holy crap !!!

        The fact it is in Bootnotes should have clued one in that this is not a real article, this goes double for you, Turtle, as a silver badge.

      4. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: holy crap !!!

        @Seaanie Ryan::

        FFS, a fanbois and an anthropogenic global climate change denier in one body.

    4. Craigness

      I bet you'd not be able to tell the difference if a judge held them up at the other end of a court room.

      1. I like noodles

        "I bet you'd not be able to tell the difference if a judge held them up at the other end of a court room."

        Ah but sure Mr Cook would just have to stand there and theatrically demonstrate that no matter how hard he tries, the buttons simply don't fit, and thereby get off scott-free

  3. unwarranted triumphalism

    Black

    That's my favourite colour for controls. Ideally they should be completely black and light up in black on a black background when you operate them.

    1. returnmyjedi

      The black ones on that hefty Lumia are a nice black, and made from ceramic so you can clean them with Cilit Bang.

    2. Tom 35

      Re: Black

      Apples problem is they never label the buttons. They should be properly labelled in 4 point Helvetica narrow in a nice medium grey.

    3. ElNumbre
      Joke

      Re: Black

      Only priest phones have truly black phones. All other "Black" phones are just really, really, really, really, really, REALLY dark blue.

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Black

      Ideally they should be completely black and light up in black on a black background when you operate them

      Alternatively they can be blank but display "don't press this button again" when pressed!

    5. LarsG

      Re: Black

      Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy refers to the rock band Disaster Area and their ship which was pre-programmed to crash into the sun.

      Zaphod stated, 'Every time I press one of these black controls, labelled in black on a black background, a little black light lights up black to let me know I've done it'

      Credit where credit is due.

      Prior art perhaps..

      1. kmac499
        Happy

        Re: Black

        Both Prior and definitley Art

        ( btw Hotblack Desiato is an esatey\lettingy agent in W London )

    6. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Black

      It is going to be difficult to fit the phone with an escape pod, though.

      1. mrfill
        Happy

        Re: Black

        You have forgotten that it is equipped with the Infinite Improbability Drive.

        Why is the sea curling up at the edges?

  4. Graham 24

    TV Remote Prior Art?

    An electronic device with four buttons, one red, one yellow, one green, one blue.

    I've got a couple of those at home, lying on the sofa...

    1. Field Marshal Von Krakenfart
      Trollface

      Re: TV Remote Prior Art?

      Yes, but did the patent for the TV remote buttons also say "on a mobile phone"?

      Anyway, they should be OK, the buttons have rounded corners....

      1. wowfood

        Re: TV Remote Prior Art?

        Maybe microsoft should sue. After all their controller has yellow green red and blue buttons.

  5. TS

    Where have I seen those colors before...

    Hmmm... I kinda remember them on some sort of logo... maybe some fruit or something. Apple better sue that company as well, before Google sues them.

    1. larokus
      Happy

      Re: Where have I seen those colors before...

      They can't sue. Apple invented 'colours on an electronic device' just check with the USPTO it's all there

    2. Annihilator
      Alert

      Re: Where have I seen those colors before...

      It's also the colours of the Windows flag logo! All incontrovertible proof that Google, Microsoft and Apple and all the other big companies are all run by the lizard people.

  6. Tim99 Silver badge
    FAIL

    Rik - You have surpassed yourself...

    Just when I think that you couldn't be a bigger click-whore, you surprise me with more bait.

    1. Toothpick
      WTF?

      Re: Rik - You have surpassed yourself...

      Was it such a slow news day that you had to make this crap up?

      1. Jamie Jones Silver badge
        Happy

        Re: Rik - You have surpassed yourself...

        Why all the hostility?

        This is The Reg - they often have humourous articles - no need to get so worked up!

        1. Miek
          Linux

          Re: Rik - You have surpassed yourself...

          Maybe some people only find things amusing on Friday's.

    2. Ace Rimmer
      Stop

      Re: Rik - You have surpassed yourself...

      "But let us now remove the tongue that has thus far been so firmly lodged in our cheek,"

      Right there at the end of the article for anyone who'd read it and not already worked that out for themselves.

      Nuff said to the haterz really.

      1. Miek
        Coat

        Re: Rik - You have surpassed yourself...

        What a Guy!

        Mine's the one with the smoked kipper in the pocket.

  7. Buzzword

    Windows

    Even Windows 3.x had those four colours.....

  8. Busby

    Is it just me or do those colours seem almost deliberately embarrassing for a phone. Could this be deliberate to make sure those with the "real" iPhone dont get too pissed off when the cheaper version launches?

    1. ThomH

      They're very similar to the colours of many cases. And they're made out of plastic so that you don't have to surround your anodised aluminium in a plastic case.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      "Is it just me or do those colours seem almost deliberately embarrassing for a phone"

      No more embarrassing than the awful colours of Nokia's Windows Phone, surely? But it's all moot to me, because I wouldn't have an Apple or Microsoft phone regardless of the colour unless I were paid to.

      Mind you, if Googlsung think I'm a happy Fandroid, then they needn't get cocky - if something better comes along I'll be off there.

      1. Oninoshiko
        Mushroom

        Even paid to I won't use an iPhone.

        (when offered one at work my response was roughly, "not unless you want to be replacing it every other week." They got me a ruggedized phone.)

  9. Charlie Clark Silver badge

    More like Mattel

    Or whoever made the "Simon" toys with the same colours: coloured buttons that's got to be patentable.

    1. Simon Harris

      Re: More like Mattel

      And when starting up Google Chrome, it should be necessary to click on a correctly remembered sequence of coloured flashing segments on the logo before it lets you run the browser.

  10. Kristian Walsh Silver badge

    Colour Opponency

    Sheesh...

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opponent_process

    Any graphic designer who actually sat in on a lecture in their college years will know about this, and they'll know that when a client asks for "bright" or "colourful", your first stop is the four shades of the opponent model, not the RGB primaries.

    If it matters (it doesn't, really.. trust me) Microsoft used these four colours before Google did ( http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ca/1/12/Windows_3.0_logo.png ).

    And apple's old striped logo used the basic four opponency colours, plus purple and orange. Perhaps that's where Apple are drawing the palette for this device from?

    Although, personally, if those are really are from the new iPhone, I'd be loudly coughing "Nokia" into my hand at any press launch...

    For comparison, see the Lumia 625: http://cdn2.mos.techradar.futurecdn.net//art/mobile_phones/Nokia/Lumia625/Hands%20on/Nokia_Lumia_625_review_01-580-90.JPG

    ... and the €100 Asha 501: http://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/nokia_asha_501_hands-on_41-580x411.jpg

  11. Someone Else Silver badge
    WTF?

    April already, is it?

  12. John 104

    Marketing 101

    aren't those purported iPhone 5C colors a wee bit unsophisticated?

    Gotta keep it cheap looking so that it doesn't compete with the vaunted iPhone 1 meeelion.

    1. HuwLewis
      Thumb Up

      Re: Marketing 101

      5C - the "C" is for for "Cheap"(er) - so nasty cheap colours. Bleedin' obvious!

  13. Frank Bough

    twats echo chamber

    this comment stream is a new low for the Reg.

    1. Fink-Nottle

      Re: twats echo chamber

      Careful now. The Father Ted quote made it all worthwhile ...

  14. Katie Saucey
    Coat

    Well, I gotta say...

    That's some innovative shit!

  15. Captain DaFt

    AHEM!

    The blue, green, and yellow buttons are OK, but I believe that red buttons are the property of this gents estate:

    www.imdb.com/ name/ nm0000999/ bio

    (Well, if El Reg can take the piss, so can I!)

  16. Algingautr

    Remember the rainbow apple? From the Apple ][ (yes! that is how it's spelt!) days?

    That's where they got the colors.

    Back to their roots!

  17. This post has been deleted by its author

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    An Apple patent bars patent war here.

    As Apple also patented insanity, we can rest safely on this one.

  19. heyrick Silver badge

    I know dick-all about Apple...

    ...but aren't they supposed to be sleek and white? Colourful volume buttons might look a bit, you know, childish.

  20. Frankee Llonnygog

    I have it on the very best authority

    The iPhone 5C will come in transparent Aqua, Dalmatian and Flower Power

  21. scarshapedstar

    The C is for Crappy

    I thought the whole selling point of the iPhone is that it's supposed to be, like, good.

  22. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Really?

    Here – with the help of Photoshop for a bit of cut-and-paste – are Dickenson's volume buttons:

    Prior art: Teletext remote control buttons

  23. nuclearstar

    I was more interested in the green casing of one of the iphones, it is pretty much exactly the same shade of green as the android logo. Some people might mistake the green iphone as running android, however that might actually improve the iphone if it did run android

  24. Tsunamijuan

    fight fight fight

    Would someone just let the two of them duke it out in the sandbox already, so we can get to the part where they are sitting next to each other at the bar sharing a drink apologizing to each other, and done with this petty squabbling.

  25. Philomena Cunk

    New iPhone - Just as crap

    but not as expensive.

    Not a great promotional campaign.

  26. Boroughbloke

    OMFG!

    Apple (alledgedly) chooses to make multicolour things that are red, yollow, green and (asthonisingly) blue as well. No doubt they will next be accused of making metallic things silver and gold and monochrome things that are black and white. Maybe they will even make grey things that are strangley neither black nor white.

  27. Resound

    My first thought is that this colour combination has also been prominent in the Microsoft logo for close to twenty years. I bet it appears in plenty of other corporate branding as well. This is a bit of a stretch.

  28. At0micAndy

    Love the humour

    Amusing tongue in cheek article, it did make me think though. When I went to school the primary colours were Red, Yellow and Blue, and we were taught in Art classes how mixing them made all the other secondary colours. Yellow and Blue, for example, made green. How the world has changed, now a secondary is a primary.

    1. ColdTurkey

      Re: Love the humour

      While you are right that RYB are the primary colours (more specifically CMYK), remember that inks/dyes are subtractive whilst light is additive. Therefore the primary colours associated with light and therefore screens/displays are for the most part RGB.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_color.

      Also, a little note to the Editors;

      Why, even though we are British, living in England, does the comments box insist that my correct English spelling is wrong and that the American is cprrect?? We spell "colour" accordingly, just like Aluminium, savoury and recognise!!

      Please fix this!

      1. gazthejourno (Written by Reg staff)

        Re: Re: Love the humour

        You might want to look at your browser's default dictionary before moaning about the comments box correcting your spelling. ;-)

        1. ColdTurkey
          FAIL

          Re: Love the humour

          Ha! How embarrassing! Thanks.

  29. Cliff

    Lots of whooshing noises in this thread

    If you want your tech news dry and unappealing, might I suggest switching to the competition?

    TheRegister is closer in spirit to the Private Eye end of journalism. Sometimes life is allowed to be fun. I take it none of the confused or outraged commentards ever read NTK back in its day? I suspect many Reg journos did, and hey BOFH moved in with them when the NTK office was abandoned.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Lots of whooshing noises in this thread

      Voted up for the NTK reference. Those were the days (and they even printed stuff under my real name - we were so naive then). Since NTK, most of the Internet has gone steadily downhill in a handbasket.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Lots of whooshing noises in this thread

        FALCO!!!

      2. Cliff

        Re: Lots of whooshing noises in this thread

        I miss NTK, but Danny is doing a weekly mailout of 15 year old editions with a bit of a commentary. Anyone ingested can probably work out how to subscribe. It's a great reminder of what was going on in IT and the emerging tech culture in the summer of '98 at the moment.

  30. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Cheaper iPhone

    Like Terry Pratchett's Monks of Cool, I believe that black goes with everything and chrome never goes out of fashion (though actually I prefer stainless steel). But I think some of the posts above are misplaced. Apple has sold an awful lot of expensive iPhones (whose aesthetics I actually dislike, they are just too Teutonic). The market has changed, smartphones are commodities. It now looks as if they are about to ship the product that, technically, should have been shipped in the first place - a sensible shape made in strong but economical materials that puts form and function ahead of being cool.

    This does suggest that in Tim Cook they finally have a real industrial engineer running the show. Perhaps they can now settle down to being a slightly worthy, reliable supplier of good quality parts at sensible prices, with a solid market share, much smaller legal bills, and less volatility.

    (the original article is supposed to be a joke. So is this post)

    1. Rukario

      Re: Cheaper iPhone

      > black goes with everything

      Absolutely not. Never mix black with colour. It makes the colour look cheap and the black look boring.

      - Zu-Zana

  31. LPF

    Penis envy..

    Its the only thing that can explain both the registers and androids users fascination with apple, I mean you have 80% of the market now, so why do you care what Apple does??? why do you "care" soooo much?

    1. smartypants
      Pint

      Re: Penis envy..

      Penis envy?

      Even the long term unemployed can have an Iphone if they want... It's the defacto chav phone, all of which hurts the feelings of the silly people who consider themselves somehow to be better than the rest of us because they count themselves among the gifted few who are able to purchase said device.

  32. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What colours are the MicroSoft Windows Flag/Window?

    See any similarities? Show come no law suits then?

  33. mrfill
    Joke

    Sue sue sue

    I saw a rainbow in the sky yesterday and immediately alerted Apple lawyers to sue <insert preferred deity> for blatant copying of an Apple design.

    These bloody deities will do anything for a fast buck.

  34. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    That looks a lot more like Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow (i.e. three secondaries) and Green (one primary) to me!

  35. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Apple knows that now, if it loses a patent battle case, the ITC decision to ban imports of its new phone will be overturned by Obama so they have nothing to fear.

  36. Lallabalalla
    Happy

    Some of you lot...

    ...remind me of my wife's Russian "Tourist Guide" (minder) back in the early 80s - a joke about something Russian like queueing all day for a carrot was cracked - to which the response was (in Robbie-Coltrane-Russian-Accent) "Hm. Humour. *Not* my favourite".

    Also, what's wrong with click-bait? If it's good for El-Reg it's good enough for me! :)

  37. lurker

    Copying is not Apple's vocabulary

    ... they are 'innovating retroactively'.

  38. Tom 7

    Ugly legal battle between Google and arch-rival Apple .

    If you want one side to seem a bit off...

  39. JDX Gold badge

    Luckily I noted this was filed under Bootnotes before commenting

  40. john devoy

    slow news day?

  41. Dan Paul
    Devil

    Colors are the result of Marketing studies

    The inside story is that these colors are the direct result of Apples marketing consultant study.

    This study was conducted on American & Japanese pre-teen girls age 6 to 11 and the subgroup was "cartoon or anime watchers"

  42. Matt_payne666

    my first thought was Nokia envy again.... first with flattening everything, then with copying the colours...

    I rather like the green, but then I think im having a mid life crisis with a Yellow Lumia 920, vetoed by the other half on lime green kitchen and have been looking at wrapping my car orange!

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