Apple Drops Partner Over iPad-like Reference Design
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The New York Times reported earlier this week that Apple has permanently severed ties with company SurfaceInk. Until Thursday, the company based in San Jose, California, was a long-term engineering partner of Apple, and contributed to the design of a flurry of devices, including the iPod, the iPhone, and the iPad.
It appears that Apple was not ecstatic about the fact that the firm recently showcased a tablet reference design that could be used by device manufacturers to build their own “iPad killer”. According to SurfaceInk’s CEO, “I think they view our capabilities as an opportunity for competitors.”
Once again, Apple shows a tendency to be overly protective when it comes to its ideas and devices. However, the success of the iPad is partly due to its unique design, so Apple cannot be completely blamed for making sure that nobody has access to its “secret sauce recipe”, or even parts of it.
