With accusations of copying and commoditization already huge within the smartphone and tablet industries, three of the market’s biggest names– Samsung, HTC and Toshiba–all showcased similar glove-themed prank products on Tuesday for April Fools’ Day.
In efforts to make light of the tech industry’s obsession with wearable electronics, fake announcements for Samsung Fingers, HTC Gluuv, and Toshiba DiGiT were all revealed by the Asian device makers. All three fictional products are shown to include support for recognizing finger gestures and integrated cameras for snapping pictures from the hand.
The fake handwear are also shown featuring speakers, microphones, advanced sensors, high-resolution screens, wireless connectivity, and other checkbox items frequently found in promotional materials for smartphones.
Some lame eye-roll making jokes were also made: Samsung made a “talk to the hand” reference, HTC suggested “armies” will become the new “selfies,” and Toshiba put out a well-produced video featuring actors making buffoons out of themselves by placing their hands and fingers in front of their faces. Get ready to laugh.
Even when it comes to lame jokes, these companies struggle to separate themselves from one another.
The fact that all three companies introduced such similar jokes for April Fools’ Day 2014 is somewhat ironic given not only the fact that virtually all modern smartphones and tablets have similar designs and functions, but also that many companies are or have been engaged in lawsuits accusing one another of copying designs and concepts.
Despite a history of theft, it’s unlikely any jokes were “stolen” here, as all three side splitting witticisms were posted on the same day. Instead, this is just another example of how many technology companies aren’t very clever or original.