Apple Pressures Meizu to Drop iPhone Knockoff

Meizu, known for its iPhone look-alike mobile phones, has decided to stop selling its M8 phone following pressure from Apple and China’s Intellectual Property Office. Apple pushed to get the M8 off the market because it looks too similar to the iPhone 4, according to Meizu Me.

the Intellectual Property Office also threatened to shut down Meizu’s production facilities, adding more incentive for the company to halt M8 production.

Meizu’s M8 iPhone look-alike

Meizu CEO Jack Wong is claiming that Apple is now pressuring him to stop selling the remaining M8 inventory, which wasn’t a condition of the original deal. Halting sales, he claims, would drive his franchise store owners out of business.

The M8 looks much like the iPhone 4, complete with a Home screen button and iPhone-like app icons. Under the hood, however, it runs a version of Microsoft’s Windows for mobile devices.

Mr. Wong is ready to fight Apple in court if necessary, but won’t likely push too hard since the Intellectual Property Office has the authority to close down his factories without a court order.