On the 11th of July 2024, Samsung released several new products within its reach, the Galaxy Watch Ultra and the Galaxy Buds 3 series at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2024. Instead of lauding praise, though, it was met with much backlash—being accused of copying Apple designs.
It wasn’t long before some critics—tech reviewers and social media users alike—hit upon striking similarities between Samsung’s new offerings and Apple’s established products. Of these, special scrutiny fell on the Galaxy Watch Ultra for its watch band and overall resemblance to Apple’s flagship smartwatch.
Moving on to the Galaxy Buds 3 series, much of the same kind of criticism came up. Indeed, many referred to the earbuds as shameless clones of Apple’s AirPods, pointing out not just design similarities but also functional ones that duplicated Apple’s really popular wireless earphones.
Beyond the chatter on social media, major publications, like The Verge and Business Insider, picked up this feeling that there wasn’t anything original about Samsung’s latest releases. It insinuates strategic positioning by Samsung in going toe-to-toe with Apple through the adoption and replication of its successful design language.
At this year’s Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2024, technological strides showcased themselves, but also heaved up controversy over allegations of design cloning. The debate underlines how stiff the contest is within the industry of technology and begs the question of real innovation versus simple product emulations.
