Came across this yesterday and thought it just went to show that a) if you solve a need people are just waiting to hand you their money and b) make sure you understand the legal aspects of any business you start before you end up on the bad side of a muli-billion dollar giant
"A 17 year-old entrepreneur who first made news in November for offering white iPhone 4 parts via his website has now officially met Apple’s wrath. Queens, New York native, Fei Lam and his parents are being sued by the technology giant, according to news first reported by MacRumors.
Frustrated that Apple hadn't released the now-available white iPhone 4, Lam created whiteiphone4now.com to make a few bucks. Using a contact he knew at Apple supplier Foxconn, Lam began buying spare parts. He then made them available as iPhone conversion kits.
Get White iPhone Now Original Ad
Before whiteiphone4now.com went down, Lam sold 470 of the kits worldwide for $279 each. Meaning the guy grossed over $130,000.
In Apple’s May 25 filing, the company contends:
Defendent Lam willfully and without authorization has used Apple’s trademarks in connection with the sale of his “White iPhone 4 Conversion Kits,” which among other things included white front and back panels with Apple’s logo and “iPhone” trademarks that are used in connection with the promotion and sale of Apple’s well known iPhone 4 handheld mobile digital electronic devices. Defendant at all times knew that Apple never has authorized the sale of white panels for its iPhone 4 mobile devices, and that he obtained these panels from sources that were not authorized by Apple or any of its suppliers to sell them.
Apple’s remedy is to recover all of Lam’s profits from the sales, plus pay reimbursement for all expenses incurred.
However, Apple also filed a voluntary dismissal of the lawsuit, which seems to suggest the two sides have come to some sort of out-of-court settlement. But, because the request for dismissal came without prejudice, the company could refile the claim in the future.
In November, we suggested that if Lam purchased the parts in question legally, Apple’s gripe should be with Foxconn who sold the items. However, it’s clear Lam, and not Foxconn, is being targeted."
Apple Stamps Out 17-Year Old Entrepreneur -- AppAdvice
"A 17 year-old entrepreneur who first made news in November for offering white iPhone 4 parts via his website has now officially met Apple’s wrath. Queens, New York native, Fei Lam and his parents are being sued by the technology giant, according to news first reported by MacRumors.
Frustrated that Apple hadn't released the now-available white iPhone 4, Lam created whiteiphone4now.com to make a few bucks. Using a contact he knew at Apple supplier Foxconn, Lam began buying spare parts. He then made them available as iPhone conversion kits.
Get White iPhone Now Original Ad
Before whiteiphone4now.com went down, Lam sold 470 of the kits worldwide for $279 each. Meaning the guy grossed over $130,000.
In Apple’s May 25 filing, the company contends:
Defendent Lam willfully and without authorization has used Apple’s trademarks in connection with the sale of his “White iPhone 4 Conversion Kits,” which among other things included white front and back panels with Apple’s logo and “iPhone” trademarks that are used in connection with the promotion and sale of Apple’s well known iPhone 4 handheld mobile digital electronic devices. Defendant at all times knew that Apple never has authorized the sale of white panels for its iPhone 4 mobile devices, and that he obtained these panels from sources that were not authorized by Apple or any of its suppliers to sell them.
Apple’s remedy is to recover all of Lam’s profits from the sales, plus pay reimbursement for all expenses incurred.
However, Apple also filed a voluntary dismissal of the lawsuit, which seems to suggest the two sides have come to some sort of out-of-court settlement. But, because the request for dismissal came without prejudice, the company could refile the claim in the future.
In November, we suggested that if Lam purchased the parts in question legally, Apple’s gripe should be with Foxconn who sold the items. However, it’s clear Lam, and not Foxconn, is being targeted."
Apple Stamps Out 17-Year Old Entrepreneur -- AppAdvice
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Access Restricted: Unlock 1,000,000+ Posts
Stop Peeking Through the Keyhole.
Open the Door.
You hit a wall because the best advice isn't free—it's earned. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has been active here daily (99.9% active rate), building a war room for entrepreneurs who refuse to settle for mediocrity.
- Active Daily: Life-changing content posted dozens of times every day. No dead threads.
- MJ's Inner Circle: Direct access to the author of The Millionaire Fastlane.
- Vetted Network: Connect with founders scaling to 7 and 8 figures.
- Proven Roadmaps: Strategy over motivation. Execution over "hustle porn."
"SCALED TO 6-FIGURE MONTHS"
"Tips and advice here saved me from huge mistakes, others allowed me to scale my business to 6-figure months."— User MitchC
"INSANE QUALITY OF PEOPLE"
"The number of high quality people I've met from this forum has been insane. All of it predicated on building real value."— User Richard Peck
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with."
Are you surrounding yourself with success?
