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Comment by redanddead | Hacker News Reader

More importantly, Huawei products eclipsed Apple in design in 2026

While I prefer Apple's design language partly because it's rooted from Sony and I love how Sony does this since eternity, I strongly support having multiple top-notch designers and builders from different countries.

This is what genuine competition is and drives things forward.

Could you provide some examples? I’m genuinely curious.

watch and airpods, personal experience

Looking at their website, most of their headphones look like knock-offs of Apple/Beats. They have a watch that looks like an Apple Watch knock-off as well.

I can’t give a company credit for good design when it looks like they are ripping off another company’s designs and design language on a regular basis.

That's what the Chinese do with everything. That's why Apple is so secretive about its plans. They day their new offerings arrive in the stores the Chinese makers buy them and start copying the design warts and all.

So far it has worked nicely since you can buy stuff that looks the part but costs a tenth the original's price.

They start getting the plans on how to clone them before they even hit the stores. That's why we saw the Xiaomi 18 Fold launch with the exact same dimensions as the iPhone Duo... before the Duo. Xiaomi got the inside scoop on the parts they were sourcing, and maybe even from the factories prepping. They even named in the "18" assuming, Apple would use the iPhone 18 branding across the whole line up. They can't even make up their own names in China.

As long as Apple is manufacturing phones in China, the only thing they can surprise people with is the software. They really need to push harder on getting some manufacturing back in the US if they want any hope of keeping things a secret and not having knock-offs already on the market before launch day.

sounds like heresy up in here california echo chamber

lmao weak troll attempt. From the rear, the Huawei Mate 90 Pro Max looks like a a lock on a hotel room door. Google it and see what I mean

Is looks that important to you?

I just looked it and while it looks different, that's not bad. As long as it works, I'm fine with what I have.

Did you read the comment I was replying to? The commenter claimed Huawei had the lead in design. I begged to differ. I'd accept the design of the 90 Pro Max on a $300 phone, but a $2,000 phone? lol

That's your personal opinion on a piece of hardware. If that's so important for you, you can look to other alternatives.

...and in my comment, I kindly disagreed with you. I have used many things with great enjoyment which were called ugly by many people.

It's OK and natural to have different opinions and priorities, and hardware design is not a first priority as long as it's uncomfortable on my checklist.

As a side note, apparently, you can add an extra camera module with a 1" sensor to that "lock" you seem to dislike. Considering the best camera is the one you have, having an additional camera with better sensor for people who are inclined to dabble into photography is a great thing.

...and I'm contemplating on how can I take my mirrorless with me during flights in a compact way even if I have an iPhone.

Design was important enough to you to post your own comment talking about it and your own preferences, and how important it is to competition, so why are you questioning it's importance to someone else?

Because I see design as a proxy to build quality and ergonomics. I'm not shopping for looks while getting my electronic devices, I'm shopping for quality and longevity of the thing in question.

If it's built well, dependable, ergonomic and delivers on the promise it's written on the box, I'm perfectly happy with what I got.

Yes, I have my tastes, like everybody else, but I don't satisfy my taste first and try to fill the specs to that taste. On the contrary, I start with the features and quality level I want, and go from there.

> Because I see design as a proxy to build quality and ergonomics

It isn't a good proxy. Couple examples: Apple sold laptops with wonky keyboards for years and still sells a mouse that charges from the bottom when the battery dies.

While I never owned these Macs with butterfly keyboards, I have used them, and yes. Apple botched bad on that keyboard. They made it right later, though.

While I also understand that Apple Magic Mouse looks atrocious with that port on the bottom, just charging it for two minutes gives you 8 hours of runtime. Why can’t people plug it in while going to get a coffee and unplug and finish the day with that quick charge? Then you can leave it charging for the night.

If you really want some bad examples, look at some popular cars. Many of them don’t care about your finger, and happily chop it off if you put it the wrong place at the wrong time.

> Design was important enough to you to post your own comment talking about it and your own preferences, and how important it is to competition, so why are you questioning it's importance to someone else?

I think you might be conflating design and cosmetics.

Design is objective, cosmetics is subjective. I like good design even if I don't care much for cosmetics.

Read "The Design of Everyday Things" , Donald E. Norman. This book is routinely recommended here, with good reason.

I have a Mate 80 RS Ultimate Design and I think it looks beautiful in person, but as you know, Chinese and Western design preferences are very different, just look at their EV's (and how western brands are copying their designs)

I don't know what you mean, looks more like camera lens from front

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