The clone manufacturer who released an iPhone 5 knock-off last week now says that they will sue Apple if they release the real iPhone 5 in China. Surreal? Hilarious? Pathetic? All of the above.
Hong Kong-based GooPhone, who designed their cheapo Android phone after the alleged Apple iPhone 5 parts leaked during the last few months, has a very rational argument: they have released their clone first, so everything that comes after that must be a copy, even if they actually made their phone after the parts of a phone that hasn't been released yet but that everyone believes is the real thing.
In other words: since their clone was released first, that makes it the original phone. The iPhone 5 is the actual clone, not theirs.
Makes sense? Of course it doesn't. Who cares! It's fun!
I just hope Samsung is taking notes and hurries up to release an iPhone 5 clone as soon as possible. Come on, Samsung—you got one week! You can totally do this. [Goophone via GizChina via Cult of Mac]
DISCUSSION
It might sound weird, but it could be that that's how Chinese law works. I do know that between Europe and the US there are variations as well. I believe that in one region, it doesn't matter who came up with the product first, it matters who first patented it; however, in other regions, it doesn't matter who patented first as long as you can prove (through lab notebooks or whatever) that you came up with it first.