iBeer Developer Suing Coors For a Refreshing 12.5 Mil
Yet another iPhone related lawsuit only this time it does not involve Apple... shocking isn't it?
Coors beer company is being sued by Hottrix, creators of the strangely popular iBeer app for a cool 12.5 million for copyright infringement. The lawsuit alleges that Coors copied its iPhone application iBeer. Both Hottrix's App and Coors' iPint simply create the illusion of beer being poured out when a user tilts the handset as if the user is drinking it. The only major difference between the two apps is that iBeer costs $3 and iPint was free - it has been pulled from the App Store by Apple.
More or less, the lawsuit claims that iBeer was a success until iPint quickly stole it's thunder by being offered for free. Stop and think about this, both Apps were released on July 11th so how is one to determine who really came up with the idea? Hottrix answer, this youtube video that was released back in August of 2007.
Why someone would spend 3 bucks on such a App, I have no clue. But Coors... come on, talk about a blatant rip off. Hottrix, 12.5 million? Seriously?
(Via Gizmodo)
There are 10 comments. Add yours.
how is coors' app a blatant rip off? you said it yourself, "both Apps were released on July 11th so how is one to determine who really came up with the idea". if anything, i think coors has the better claim as they are a beer maker so they are coming out with an app to match their product.
but yes i'm sure that coors is scouring youtube videos a year prior to the app store launching just so they could steal ideas for a small time developer. sounds like hottrix is a one trick pony and ibeer was his only idea. now that he can't bilk the ignorant public of $3/app he's going to get his money somehow. sad. greedy and sad.
That video was floating around a long time before Coors ever announced anything... Are you saying it was not possible that someone at Coors was on youtube and saw that video and would not steal the idea? Very possible if you ask me. Both apps were identical. But like I said, 12.5 mil... please...
all I have to say is I'm glad I already got ipint. notice, I didn't say buy
My roommate actually bought the $3 dollar app. I mean its good for a laugh especially at the bar for some reason.
@Jason
First off just because they showed up in the app store the same day doesn't mean he didnt create It. Also calling him a one trick pony? Come on now he made an iPhone app . Can you ???
Talk about a pissing contest here...literally. If the shoe was on the other foot and Hottrix was being sued for copyright infringement, or patent infringement, or whathaveyou... my dollar bet would be on Hottrix arguing that they are entitled to use the code under the Freedom of Information act or some such puckey. If selling an App and filing a lawsuit were an ethical means of business practice, Microsoft's shareholders could all retire on their lawsuit earnings.
So if I get this right... the firefighters are being sued by the carpenters who supplied to labor to make the house that the firefighters are trying to save, yet the lumberjacks want their cut from the carpenters and millwrights?? If I were the judge sitting on this case, I'd tell both parties to go screw.
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