The popular Android customization app
Themer
by MyColorScreen was recently pulled from the Google Play marketplace
due to the fact that it contained a theme called ‘Seven’ that looks
exactly like iOS 7. In fact it looked so alike that Apple filed
a copyright complaint with Google, forcing the search engine giant to
remove the app to avoid further legal ramifications.
Despite the fact MyColorScreen allowed users to browse a selection of
themes, that one theme alone was enough to have it pulled.
TechCrunch reported:
“The theme in question is the “Seven” theme, which Apple
says uses several icons that infringed on its own patents,
explains Ashvin Dhingra, co-founder and CEO at Themer.
“We immediately removed [the Seven] theme and thought that, at worst,
Themer would be back on Play in a few days. But now a week later, we’re
facing the possibility that a few days might turn into a few weeks,”
Dhingra explains in an email to TechCrunch (and soon to be blog post on
the company’s website.)”
Of course part of the reason for Themer’s removal is because it isn’t
just some homebrew project, the team behind the app made over $500,000
in funds last Fall. Now that the Seven theme has been removed though,
Apple has no more issues with the app and it can technically return to
the Google Play store.
“We’ve spoken to legal representatives from Apple (who
have been very nice, reasonable, and helpful), and they have no
remaining concerns. But apparently, Google has a process for these
things, and there’s nothing we can do to accelerate that process.”
That’s one of the issues with the Google Play store is that there
really isn’t much communication with Google and developers so there is
no telling when Themer will return.
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