Are Chinese flagship phones just "paying tribute" to iPhone? Where is the innovation?

Are Chinese flagship phones just "paying tribute" to iPhone? Where is the innovation?Recently, many Chinese brands have been hyping up their new flagship phones, claiming to challenge the iPhone 16 Pro series and be its alternatives. However, these new phones seem to be intentionally or unintentionally "paying tribute" to the iPhone, with obvious "Apple-esque" designs from the exterior design to the system UI

Are Chinese flagship phones just "paying tribute" to iPhone? Where is the innovation?

Recently, many Chinese brands have been hyping up their new flagship phones, claiming to challenge the iPhone 16 Pro series and be its alternatives. However, these new phones seem to be intentionally or unintentionally "paying tribute" to the iPhone, with obvious "Apple-esque" designs from the exterior design to the system UI.

1. Right-angle frames with matching R-corners: Since the iPhone 12 series returned to the right-angle frame design, iPhone has consistently maintained this design philosophy. Surprisingly, Chinese phones are now widely following this design, especially upcoming new releases, almost all of which adopt right-angle frames. Some even match the R-corners of the iPhone 16 Pro series. Many manufacturers even directly compare their flagships to the iPhone 16 Pro in terms of R-corner and frame width, making one wonder, where is the innovation in Chinese phones?

2. Photographing key following the trend: When the iPhone 16 series was released, its physical camera button sparked widespread discussion and even drew criticism from many tech bloggers, who argued that the design was unreasonable and the experience was poor. However, this design, considered "useless" by many, has been followed by Chinese phones, seemingly for the sake of a "camera button." It's worth noting that Apple's physical button is reserved for AI and hasn't been practically utilized yet. Whether Apple's AI will truly play a role in the future and whether this button will prove effective, is still to be seen. But why are Chinese flagships following suit on this design?

3. "Dynamic Island" blooming everywhere: The biggest innovation in the iPhone 14 Pro series is undoubtedly the Dynamic Island design, even Luo Yonghao, a long-time critic of Apple, has acknowledged it. This design was kept under tight wraps and remained undisclosed before release, generating massive online buzz upon its launch. Now, Chinese phones are collectively "going to the island," seemingly an inevitable trend. Of course, the Dynamic Island experience is genuinely superior to traditional notification bars, and consumers generally approve. However, does simply copying a design truly bring about actual innovation?

4. iOS-like UI style: At least two Chinese phone manufacturers now have new system lock screens that are identical to iOS, even featuring the same functionality of adding apps to the lock screen for quick access. Additionally, many customized systems from Chinese manufacturers have fully embraced an iOS style, becoming nearly indistinguishable from Apple's system. While Android has always learned from Apple's UI design, does this near-complete "copy-pasting" by Chinese phones truly offer a unique user experience?

As global mobile giants, why are Chinese phone brands so "obsessed" with copying the iPhone in terms of innovation? Is the iPhone-like experience the optimal one? Why not study iPhone's two-year lead over Android in video capabilities?

Chinese phones no longer have an edge in hardware specs. To stand out in the competition, they need to seek breakthroughs in user experience. However, blind imitation will only lead to a mire of homogeneous competition, ultimately causing them to lose their unique qualities and competitiveness.

Chinese phone manufacturers should pay greater attention to user needs, focus on their own innovation, and create truly unique products that meet user demands. Only then can they secure their foothold in the high-end phone market and ultimately achieve success.