Video: Meizu M8 prepped for full-scale launch, IP battle with Apple

Meizu's been on a tear since our last M8 update. Sitting atop a new 0.9.0.1 firmware release complete with working copy and paste, Outlook calendar synchronization, and a "full backup system," the M8 is now supported by a published SDK and licensed to ride the Chinese airwaves for what looks to be a March, mainland China release. With all the passion it could muster, Meizu posted the following announcement to its English website:

Let's bear witness together, to the great moment of MEIZU formally entering the big stage of mobile phone industry!

Currently, the M8 handset with its iPhone roots (but a WinCE core) is only available to an abiding Chinese press and die-hard Meizu fanatics -- a population said to rival the intensity of Apple's own sheeple elite. Having watched the M8 make the transition from art to part over the last few years, we're mighty stoked at the prospective launch to say the least. And while Meizu has clearly trumped Apple's spec sheet (not user experience) in terms of software (copy paste, background task management, video recording, and plenty more) and hardware (720 x 480 pixel display and beefier silicon), we'll bet there's still enough "inspiration" to get Tim Cook and Apple's legal counsel whipped up into a frenzy of Intellectual Property defense. Latest video after the break.

Read -- Mobile license approval
Read -- SDK release
Read -- firmware 0.9 release

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 23rd 2009 10:43AM]

It's an.... IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF IPHONE RIP-OFF

Ahhh. That felt good.

IP Alert. Cook said Apple will come down hard on any company that uses the patented multi-touch pinch gesture. I guess Meizu is just begging to go to court.

[TheCow5 Posted Jan 23rd 2009 2:47PM]

@iphonerulez
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do you have an iPhone, Apple or Jobs head stuck up you ass?
you may want to get what ever that is removed m8, I don't want to believe thats any good for you.
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It must truly be painfull for you to walk about..

[ecobore Posted Jan 23rd 2009 10:28AM]

It is frankly incredible how blatant a rip-off of the iPhone this is. These people deserve to be sued into oblivion! I mean, they have slightly changed the case now, but look at that interface, even the progress bars and the prefs section are the same!!! I have to say, it DOES have facilities that he iPhone SHOULD have, like sending VCards and cut and paste. But original it is not!

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 23rd 2009 10:34AM]

I don't think apple will be able to get a solid argument against the phone, but Those headphones are the same as apples.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 23rd 2009 10:39AM]

I'll grant that it seems like a nice handset, but basically it's just an iPhone rip-off. Not saying that's bad or anything.

[leblancn13 Posted Jan 23rd 2009 11:38AM]

Ohhhh yes! I can't wait for this phone to come out. I've been waiting for a decent OS. All Apple ever does is release duds. This is amazing. I can't wait to see Apple M8-killer. They can try but they'll never be able to beat them. Apple is a bunch of hippies with time machines.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 23rd 2009 2:58PM]

Wonder if one should let these go now :)

http://www.meizuphone.com

http://www.m8phone.com

[Motor Posted Jan 23rd 2009 4:06PM]

I can see the headlines now..."Two days after apple files lawsuit, Chinese government purchases the prosecuting law firm."

[axton Posted Jan 23rd 2009 5:45PM]

There is no denying that the M8's design and some software is directly copied from apple, but given the overall quality of the unit, i don't see how you can call it a knockoff.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 23rd 2009 7:51PM]

The M8's company can't even find a guy could speak English!

[artissco Posted Jan 26th 2009 12:42PM]

I'm waiting for this so long... I like iPhone but why the f**k i need some kind a contract with some bulls**t operator? I want it cotract free but I can't... so I will buy M8 :) In my country operator that sells iPhone is devil organization with only getting money from people in mind :D