Apple and Sony, like peas in an iPod

Funny huh? We knew something was a tad too familiar with those Sony DSC-T2 Cyber-shot cameras announced yesterday. Now, Engadget Japanese reveals why. Those pictures are official, un-doctored press shots from both Apple and Sony. The former (and we mean former) comes courtesy of archive.org since it's been supplanted by Apple's new nano. Of course, Apple's no saint in these matters either. Flattery at its finest, eh? Sony, like.no.other.

[Via Engadget Japanese]

Read -- Sony press shot
Read -- Apple press shot

[Mike @ Oct 25th 2007 1:22AM]

Well... Imitation is the highest form of flattery, right...?

Ah, Sony's advertising firm, did you really think nobody would notice?

[simon @ Oct 25th 2007 1:26AM]

The same could probably be said of Apple's advertising firm when they were caught using other people's concepts and copyrighted material

[Jamesology @ Oct 25th 2007 1:27AM]

All companies imitates each other. You just notice it more when it's a company that you don't like. Just like between Sony and Nintendo. Sony copies that dog game and Motion Sensors, everyone is a critic. But when Nintendo starts copies Web Browsing and the camera or the standing console design, nothing is said.

[Josh Warner @ Oct 25th 2007 2:46AM]

They may look the same, but right after that picture they are drastically different! The Apple products fall in a clattering heap, whilst the Sony cameras' batteries spontaneously combust, leaving a molten pile of scrap metal!

See, they're really not the same at all...

[Scott @ Oct 25th 2007 8:52AM]

The fun only begins once you plug the Sony camera into your computer and the rootkit starts installing.

[Justin @ Oct 25th 2007 9:43AM]

@Chris

I've had almost-new AA batteries heat up and burst before while still in the device. Thankfully I wasn't holding it at the time, but I really wondered what that pungent odor was. The problem was easily rectified (with thick rubber gloves), but it's far from unheard of...just very rare.

[sitruc @ Oct 25th 2007 10:39AM]

Years ago in high school, I randomly had some AA batteries in my pocket. They heated up my pocket to the point where they were nearly burning and I was dancing around the classroom trying to get them out while people looked on like I was crazy. After I got them out of my pocket, I forced a few people to feel how hot the batteries were so they would know I wasn't completely crazy.

[Kevin @ Oct 25th 2007 1:34PM]

"pOdCam @ Oct 25th 2007 2:50AM

Guess what ? I can smell iPod camera :D"

Guess what? It's called an iPhone :D

[V.I. @ Oct 25th 2007 1:25AM]

That's crazy. Meizu like...

I want some Skittles, vending machine here I come!

[Trowble @ Oct 25th 2007 1:26AM]

As of late, who hasn't Sony flattered in some form of another?

[ryan @ Oct 25th 2007 8:31AM]

Themself

[Kyle Simmons @ Oct 25th 2007 1:29AM]

I thought only Apply did this...

[Mog @ Oct 25th 2007 1:29AM]

I love how all the colors are in the same positions. Sometimes, even at identical angles (the blue one). Oh, Sony...

I KNEW I liked the DSC-T2 for some reason. ^_^ I'd buy the green one if it weren't so expensive. I think I'll buy the Elph SD10000 instead.

[Austin @ Oct 25th 2007 1:29AM]

This is so obviously similar that it has to be more than mere parroting of the original work. You aren't THAT desperate, are you, sony?

[waiownsyou @ Oct 25th 2007 1:29AM]

LMAO, nice picture comparison

[deloreanz @ Oct 25th 2007 1:37AM]

I love how each of the sony cams is turned exactly 90 degrees from the position of the nanos.

[rainygrass @ Oct 25th 2007 1:37AM]

the magic words: KEEPIN' THEM REAL FREAK. In engadget nation, we're all apple's bitchs

[Jesus Christ @ Oct 25th 2007 1:37AM]

Well Sony did use pictures of Project Gotham Racing 3 in one of their video game ads before so this doesn't surprise me.

[Constable Odo @ Oct 25th 2007 1:44AM]

When SONY grows up it wants to be just like Apple. That's understandable. Every company now is saying that. No wait....they're saying they're better than Apple after copying Apple.

Ah, who cares? We'll all be dead soon anyway from electronic pollution.

[Ransom @ Oct 25th 2007 2:53AM]

what is electronic pollution?

[soul7963 @ Oct 25th 2007 4:44AM]

Constable Odo's message is electronic pollution

[strider_mt2k @ Oct 25th 2007 9:16AM]

Why don't you morph into someone with something interesting to talk about?

[W00ter @ Oct 25th 2007 1:47AM]

I actually think this is a smart business move (the colors).

I think Sony made the same exact colors so people can color coordinate their gadgets. The iPod is the most ubiquitous gadget nowadays, why not try to go along for the ride and possibly gaining some sales.

[Mark @ Oct 25th 2007 1:54AM]

Ouch, Apple finally gets a taste of its own medicine, hehehe.

[James Cameron @ Oct 25th 2007 1:56AM]

I mean who give a sh!t?

[inward9 @ Oct 25th 2007 2:00AM]

Isn't it the advertising firms that we should be taking issue with? Apple and Sony can't search the world to see if the ad firms they hire are ripping off the competition.

[Jeff @ Oct 25th 2007 2:19AM]

What about obviously ripping off the competition? Anyways Sony cameras suck.

[Michael La Framboise @ Oct 25th 2007 2:38AM]

*sniff* - Anyone else smell that?

Oh yeah! It's the sweet sweet stench of a lawsuit. :)

[Marq @ Oct 25th 2007 4:06AM]

like.no.other. HAHAHA!

[James @ Oct 25th 2007 4:39AM]

i'm a sony fan, and i'm appalled by this myself! its even in the same order!!!!! shame on you, sony!

[Jon @ Oct 25th 2007 4:44AM]

the ad is bad yes but the colours is purely and aesthetic reason, it allows people to accessorise, lots of companies do it, and youll find lots of people try to get PC/monitor that at least matchs the room somewhat its in

[Othello @ Oct 25th 2007 4:45AM]

It's definitely no coincidence. One thing that I find most interesting, every camera is in the exact reverse position of an iPod. It's obviously meant to invoke a subconscious memory of the old iPod ad, to indirectly associate themselves with it. Great marketing strategy, tagging along with the leader without being too obvious about it.

[Smudger @ Oct 25th 2007 5:09AM]

Sony copying Apple again ? The latest Sony Bravia TV ad inthe UK (Play-doh bunnies) has the same Rolling Stones ""She's A Rainbow" music that Apple used for the colour iMacs. When I first heard it I immediately though of the old iMac ad and imediately turned around to see the sony ad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLUAbkRUvVQ

[namtastic @ Oct 25th 2007 10:43AM]

Well, that bunnies ad already has trouble without involving the soundtrack --

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kozyndan/1485005315/in/photostream/

[Almadi @ Oct 25th 2007 7:13AM]

Lawsuits galore!!!

And by that I mean when some idiot buys an iPod and complains that it doesn't take photos.

[Matt @ Oct 25th 2007 3:18PM]

Or when someone buys the camera and it won't play music :)

[DC @ Oct 25th 2007 8:38AM]

It's not like Sony and Apple are worst enemy's. Apple used Sony's Patented keyboard layout for the Macbooks... with permission of course.

Besides, that's one awesome looking camera.. Sony and Apple FTW! I wish Apple would let Sony use OSX... after all... Vaio's are 100x better in terms of hardware and quality... owell. I love my macs and vaio. :D

[Deluxe @ Oct 25th 2007 9:15AM]

Im not generally a mac fan, but OSX on a Vaio makes me all swoony.

[Saint @ Oct 25th 2007 8:40AM]

Like.no.other

That made me laugh

[josh83 @ Oct 25th 2007 8:49AM]

Sony's new DSC-T2 Cyber-shot ads look alarmingly similar to the ipod nano ads by Apple. Theft or Homage?
http://www.pollsb.com/polls/poll/3253/sony-s-new-dsc-t2-cyber-shot-ads-look-alarmingly-similar-to-the-ipod-nano-ads-by-apple

[Michael @ Oct 25th 2007 9:01AM]

I don't understand what you are all getting up in arms about. One is an MP3 players and the other is a camera.
You know how much money companies like Sony spend on usability studies and consumer market research for things as simple as colors? They are saving themselves money by copying popular color choices that have already been proven to work. That's a smart move.

What I don't understand is that these things already have 4gig of build in flash memory and a nice big screen, why doesn't Sony add a headphone jack and some PMP functionality as well. The hardware is mostly already there and so is the price.

[Vince @ Oct 25th 2007 9:17AM]

If you can't beat em, join em.

[OrganicShadow @ Oct 25th 2007 9:55AM]

Cry about it. The cameras have good specs. Touch screen. Small(seemingly), and not just in black and silver. Oh noes they used one of the most common electronics color schemed evar and did what all smart companies do- market them competitively.

No no, you guys are right. They should have made the cameras black only, and for the advertisements had crying baby dolls and what not right? Or better yet, people holding the cameras while jumping through a jump rope with "jump in", followed by "welcome to the social" ads too huh?

[holycow @ Oct 25th 2007 10:45AM]

who cares if the color is the same.. im getting one :D (the camera offcourse)

[Mr. B @ Oct 25th 2007 10:45AM]

Geez... at least rearrange the colors.

[adrian @ Oct 25th 2007 11:00AM]

Did nobody notice in the old Apple TV commercials that they were watching all their iTunes materials on a Sony XBR2? The companies clearly aren't on bad terms and may even be working together behind the scenes. Just like how there were no Sony iPod accessories for quite a while til earlier in the year.

[iPodGuru @ Oct 25th 2007 11:20AM]

Yup I agree imitation is the biggest form of fattery. I use my ipod for music and movies from http://www.ipodtunesdownloads.com

[Rodini @ Oct 25th 2007 11:47AM]

This is actually a marketing trick so they can get free advertising, they do this on purpose so we can talk about it on blogs like these, instead of paying other sites to get advertised

[pscs @ Oct 25th 2007 2:04PM]

oh my word what a beast!!! ironically i like both these 2 companies.

[Daimyo Nintendo @ Oct 25th 2007 9:54PM]

Um NO...more like Sony in a ripoffpod.