Unbox Therapy accused of copying PITAKA phone case, copyright abuse & fake giveaways

[mr moose]

5 hours ago, Brehohn said:

Those two cases are so exactly alike it's not even funny. Come on Unboxed..

Identical doesn't imply one copied the other, for example:

 

On 12/10/2019 at 10:09 AM, AnonymousGuy said:

There's 1 factory making cases or a bunch of factories all copying off each other.  Shit I can go on Amazon and search anything and find a dozen different "brands" with the same product. 

 

 

He did not copy anyone, just bought the same generic products for his brand as everyone else.

 

[The Torrent]

ooo shiiii hes getting done and i like him and all but tbh this is just dirty play he deserves it.

[The Torrent]

3 minutes ago, mr moose said:

Identical doesn't imply one copied the other, for example:

 

He did not copy anyone, just bought the same generic products for his brand as everyone else.

 

the fact that he privated some videos featuring the case says that even if its allowed, he was expecting some backlash.

[mr moose]

2 hours ago, The Torrent said:

the fact that he privated some videos featuring the case says that even if its allowed, he was expecting some backlash.

whatever his reasoning is moot,  he bought the case from a generic manufacturer, he had nothing to do with the design and neither did pitaka from the look of it.

[LunaP0n3]

I saw his unboxing of a Samsung T5 SSD, saw the speeds, went out and got one because of his review. I'm honestly shocked at the scumminess of the iPhone giveaway, but I remain on standby to wait and see how this draws out before I make any conclusions. There may be more to this rabbit hole that isn't public yet.

[jasonc_01]

15 hours ago, mr moose said:

Identical doesn't imply one copied the other, for example:

 

He did not copy anyone, just bought the same generic products for his brand as everyone else.

 

To be fair he does explain that he went through extensive prototyping over multiple devices to have get the cases where he wanted them.

 

15 hours ago, The Torrent said:

the fact that he privated some videos featuring the case says that even if its allowed, he was expecting some backlash.

If I was in his position set to release a product for sale similar to another product I published a review for and praised. I'd probably take that Video down and any material being used if possible... 

 

Just not right before my product launch.

[mr moose]

7 hours ago, jasonc_01 said:

To be fair he does explain that he went through extensive prototyping over multiple devices to have get the cases where he wanted them.

 

 

He made lots of claims about the thing, so did pitaka. Claims of his development of the product and the product being hand made are just as frivolous as pitaka claiming he copied them.

[amdorintel]

Just now, mr moose said:

He made lots of claims about the thing, so did pitaka. Claims of his development of the product and the product being hand made are just as frivolous as pitaka claiming he copied them.

makes for a better background of the perceived effort put into a product, typical conman actions. with a good cover story, comes more people willing to shell out money for "custom" phone case.

 

[aaradorn]

I watched the occasional Unbox Therapy video, mainly when I was looking for a new phone or searching for a cool tech gift for one of my friends. I knew about the whole Iphone give away scam, he did this multiple times. This whole Pitaka thing is on a new level. From what I have seen the cases look pretty cool, they are magnetic, sturdy and I can see why a apple user would want one, It reduces the camera bump to almost nothing, great stuff. 

Some el-cheap-o chinese company copied the looks of a pitaka case, Unbox therapy started selling the chinese cases, all of this while previously having reviewed pitaka cases. It's just a giant slap in the companies face. After the whole thing went down and it became public, unbox therapy reached out to pitaka for a collab. 

 

Right now I absolutely hate the guy. Anyone who does something like that while being fully aware of what they are doing is scum. (This goes for everything)

[The Torrent]

On 12/12/2019 at 12:41 AM, mr moose said:

whatever his reasoning is moot,  he bought the case from a generic manufacturer, he had nothing to do with the design and neither did pitaka from the look of it.

its like wanting to run someone over.

 

You can run them over and pretend it was an accident,

 

or you can run them over get out spit on them then speed off.

 

He's done the second. He knew it was bad, ok he could have got away with it, but it tells people something about his character. We aren't judging him from a court or right/wrong opinion, we are judging him on a personal opinion.

[Derangel]

7 hours ago, aaradorn said:

I watched the occasional Unbox Therapy video, mainly when I was looking for a new phone or searching for a cool tech gift for one of my friends. I knew about the whole Iphone give away scam, he did this multiple times. This whole Pitaka thing is on a new level. From what I have seen the cases look pretty cool, they are magnetic, sturdy and I can see why a apple user would want one, It reduces the camera bump to almost nothing, great stuff. 

Some el-cheap-o chinese company copied the looks of a pitaka case, Unbox therapy started selling the chinese cases, all of this while previously having reviewed pitaka cases. It's just a giant slap in the companies face. After the whole thing went down and it became public, unbox therapy reached out to pitaka for a collab. 

 

Right now I absolutely hate the guy. Anyone who does something like that while being fully aware of what they are doing is scum. (This goes for everything)

Both of them are likely full of shit. Pitaka aren't the first the make these kind of cases. They do look like they're good quality (even if the carbon fiber look is hideous) but selling a good product does not mean they're the ones that created it initially.

[AnonymousGuy]

So Lew released an update video and it's exactly as expected: he went to an OEM and said he wanted these cases made to these specs for cutouts or thickness or whatever, and they went off and did it.  Pitaka decided to get all butthurt and act like they're the only company that has ever made a kevlar case.

 

In unrelated commentary: these cases fucking suck anyways, there's zero point in utilizing kevlar here except to say you're using kevlar, and it's basically just scratch protection for your phone.  You drop it in this case you're boned.  A thin plastic case would accomplish the exact same thing.

[Progressor]

Just found about this drama. Though Lew has done some shady shit in his past in regards to his channel(like that fake "truck full of iPhones" giveaway)I don't think he is in the wrong here. I don't see how you can copyright a phone case given that it has to follow the shape of the phone it's supposed to be used on. If you're making a thin slim case for a certain phone you don't have much of a choice when it comes to the design(shape). PITAKA didn't invent carbon fiber/kevlar/whateverthefuckitsmadefrom or making products out of it, the material and texture aren't unique either. The design language of that case and it's functionality is just way too generic for it to be copyrighted. Now how both parties chose to handle the whole situation is a different story but I don't really care about that so I'm not going to comment on it. With that said, personally I find both cases to be overpriced for what they are so if it were me, I'd just buy one off alliexpress for like $5  

[mr moose]

3 hours ago, The Torrent said:

its like wanting to run someone over.

 

You can run them over and pretend it was an accident,

 

or you can run them over get out spit on them then speed off.

 

He's done the second. He knew it was bad, ok he could have got away with it, but it tells people something about his character. We aren't judging him from a court or right/wrong opinion, we are judging him on a personal opinion.

 

you are conflating two different issues.  he did not copy the case,  the case was a pre existing design that he bought from a generic manufacturer, there are already many of them out there with different brands on them.

 

Was he underhanded in how he bought and released the case, maybe, but that is to be proven.  As far as I am concerned all he did was see a generic Chinese case making money and decided to hop on board, ordered his own and joined the chorus of wank merchants up selling cheap Chinese crap.  Pitaka are just pissed because he decided to stop promoting their cases and decided to sell his own instead.

 

 

[amdorintel]

4 hours ago, mr moose said:

wank merchants up selling cheap Chinese crap.

LOL so true, happens everywhere though and Pitaka doing the same  LOL

hopefully it saved the consumer a 3 month wait for said case on the slow boat from China, at what cost markup, who knows.

[TechyBen]

14 hours ago, mr moose said:

 

you are conflating two different issues.  he did not copy the case,  the case was a pre existing design that he bought from a generic manufacturer, there are already many of them out there with different brands on them.

 

Was he underhanded in how he bought and released the case, maybe, but that is to be proven.  As far as I am concerned all he did was see a generic Chinese case making money and decided to hop on board, ordered his own and joined the chorus of wank merchants up selling cheap Chinese crap.  Pitaka are just pissed because he decided to stop promoting their cases and decided to sell his own instead.

 

 

Yeah, I'm gonna say, I've seen dodgy "we make these" claims from some, who turn out "ah, no, I just buy in bulk from a supplier, they've existed for decades just only in USA/Jap/China". (UK has "Dragons Den" check out Youtube, some "gems" on there lol!)

 

BUT, here, it seems "I made this" was embellished, but he did source and adjust by the looks. Hard to prove though, if he just sourced or if he really did ask for modifications, but AFAIK you can do that when making big orders. He is scummy for lying if it's just a choose the cover, vs choose and ask for modifications. But his entire delivery style is talking up tiny little things "I like the feel of my case vs the smoother one" is what he says. When really, I think "I could not afford the smooth finish" or "I prefer the better grip" is closer to reality.  But to the audience he has to up the "experience" not the practicality. But then again, I prefer LTT for that reason (they often cover both, their 30K headphone review is the worse video I've seen content wise, though not production or feel wise).

[RejZoR]

Though quality does vary dramatically. I've ordered "same" cheap transparent TPU case for iPhone XR from AliExpress and one was alright, it's ok finished and does the job. Just "some" TPU case. And the other order I made, same cost and everything, just different store and the case was superbly finished. Every button is thicker, with matte top finish, embossed +/- and POWER/PADLOCK signs on them, no molding sharp edges and it hugs camera perfectly and also has a raised ridge so it protects camera metal edge and also a lense as well as more accurately positioned other holes. It has so many benefits and yet it was not clearly evident from generic pictures all sellers use and copy from eachother or something. I know if I was buying it again I'd specifically want the later one as it's such a massive difference. If I was importing them and making sure I'm selling top shit stuff to my buyers, I'd specifically demand the later as it's just so vastly better while having same price. So you can bump up the markup and actually deliver better goods. How and why it's such difference in quality but not the price, I have no idea. Probably order volume that allows you to lower the price despite better characteristics.

[Rohith_Kumar_Sp]

Update : backpedaling but it's alright.  but still avoids all the unethical things he did about from removing the videos to striking videos. avoids talking about the lies he told about saying he contacted with them to partner. my problem was never that he made a case that looked like someone else but rather how he behaved on the situation trying to pull everything under the rug. 
 

 

[Levent]

1 hour ago, Rohith_Kumar_Sp said:

Update : backpedaling but it's alright.  but still avoids all the unethical things he did about from removing the videos to striking videos. avoids talking about the lies he told about saying he contacted with them to partner. my problem was never that he made a case that looked like someone else but rather how he behaved on the situation trying to pull everything under the rug. 
 

 

I dont get it, why the fuck would anyone want to "address" the problems by releasing a bullshit 30 minute video with multiple angles. This dude is just trying to smooth talk his way out of his bullshit schemes. Fuck him.

[GamerDude]

I don't care for how he went about selling the Latercase as his when it's so obviously a copy of the PITAKA case. In my mind, he's a douche for doing what he did....Unbox Therapy is no longer a trusted influencer and 'reviewer'.

[mr moose]

23 hours ago, Levent said:

I dont get it, why the fuck would anyone want to "address" the problems by releasing a bullshit 30 minute video with multiple angles. This dude is just trying to smooth talk his way out of his bullshit schemes. Fuck him.

Because people will believe anything they read, be it a BS response or a half twisted accusation.   This thread is a very good example of people ignoring the bigger picture in order to jump on a perceived situation that re enforces what they already think. 

[kokakolia]

15 hours ago, GamerDude said:

I don't care for how he went about selling the Latercase as his when it's so obviously a copy of the PITAKA case. In my mind, he's a douche for doing what he did....Unbox Therapy is no longer a trusted influencer and 'reviewer'.

It is douchy, because a sponsorship/collab with PITAKA would have been brilliant. 

[JustWantTech]

Let us all agree on one thing about this issue, "the way Lew presented his product is BS and he is being defensive about it".

 

its basically a PR disaster. There's really nothing wrong with product. It is just generic carbon fiber case.

 

However, like that verge's disaster build, people will eventually move on. Lew's channels will not going to die because of this and the one who benefit all of this drama is PITAKA.

 

Just wish he didn't delete that PITAKA case review video or at least give reason on why he delete the video.