Polaroid in trouble with Oppo for Oppo N1 clone

Polaroid, once the first name in instant camera tech, are now in trouble with Oppo after showing off an Oppo N1 clone at this past CES.

Polaroid, like many film based camera makers, has suffered in recent years as photographers move to digital cameras and smartphone camera become more and more advanced.

To keep their head above water, Polaroid have diversified their range of products and now sell wireless printers and now an Android smartphone with their own branding. Their phone, the ‘Selife’is what has Polaroid in hot water as it is a blatant rip-off of the Oppo N1.

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The design, size and rotating camera design of the Polaroid Selfie are all 1:1 copies of the Oppo N1. It in fact seems that the Selife is simple a rebranded iNew V8 which has been on the market through Chinese resellers for a few months now.

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Oppo have responded to the launch of the Polaroid Selifie with the following statement:

It was recently reported that the Polaroid Selfie smartphone released at the CES 2015 has a remarkably similar design to the patented rotating camera phone OPPO N1. However, OPPO has not licensed the design of the rotating camera to any third parties, nor has us done that in any OEM way. We will continue to keep track of the event and reserves the right to take further legal action.

OPPO is committed to delivering our customers with the most delightful electronic experience that is full of surprises through meticulous designs and smart technology. OPPO holds strong respect to intellectual properties and any innovation of technology and design. Sustainable innovation sits at the core of our business, and has made OPPO being a mostly talked new brand in the mobile industry.

OPPO does not stop here with the rotating camera on N1. An upgraded model, the N3, was launched in late 2014 featuring a motorised rotating ‘selfie’ camera, which could rotate for 206 degrees and makes new shooting modes like auto panaroma possible. Perfect for hands free selfies!

It remains to be seen what Polaroid plan to do, and if Oppo will take legal action.