Jony Ive On Apple's Competition Copying His Designs: 'It's Theft'

Some might say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but that's not how Apple's design chief Jony Ive sees it, according to a recent interview with the Sunday Times.

When asked how he feels when Apple's designs are copied, Ive had the following to say.

"It's theft. What's copied isn't just a design, it's thousands and thousands of hours of struggle. It's only when you've achieved what you've set out to do that you can say, 'This was worth pursuing.' It takes years of investment, years of pain."

Ive, who has crafted some of Apple's most iconic products from the iPhone to the original iMac, explained how he perceives a gadget's function before even imagining its design.

"Objects and their manufacture are inseparable. You understand a product if you know how it's made. I want to know what things are, how they work, what they can or should be made of, before I even begin to think what they should look like."

Ive also reiterated what he says makes Apple's design principles stand out from the competition.

"What people are responding to is much bigger than the object. They are responding to something rare- a group of people who do more than simply make something work, they make the very best products they possibly can. It's a demonstration against thoughtlessness and carelessness."