How is it possible for Samsung to release their phones before Apple and still copy Apple
Matt Birchler, at Birchtree:
I’m not going to tell you Samsung never follow Apple's lead, but I think we’re in silly territory when we’re suggesting Samsung is copying Apple by releasing a thinner phone before Apple does the same thing. A thinner phone…something Samsung never would have thought of themselves. 😛
This one is easy: Samsung produces components for Apple; therefore they have prior knowledge of the form factor. Moreover, Samsung has a much faster go to market process than Apple, which allows them to have a good several months time to market.
Samsung doesn’t copy in the distribution phase, but in the project phase, right before the production starts.