Teen Sued By Apple For Selling White iPhone Kits Dishes On Details

Fei Lam, the Queens teen who, for a short while, was making up to $8,000 a day selling kits to make white iPhones, was shut down after Apple found out.

Apple apparently filed--and dropped--a lawsuit against the teen. Fast Company interviewed Lam to find out what he's up to these days, while not battling the Apple legal machine. Apparently, Lam did not find out about the lawsuit straight from Apple.

"I came back from school today and saw your email. Lol," Lam told FC, as to how he first learned about the suit. He went on to say that he will be meeting with Apple's lawyer in New York, but that he won't be accompanied by a lawyer because he "can't afford it anymore."

Lam was able to manufacture his white iPhone kits by getting parts from a man who once worked at Foxconn, Apple's manufacturing facility. He first met the man after receiving a spam email for Apple replacement parts.

"I don't know how the contract works between Foxconn and Apple but the "repair parts" that come out months before actual product release is very weird," said Lam. "I also don't know why the white parts were made. Maybe they were to be thrown out or something. Not sure. It's all very weird."

Lam is not the only entrepreneur to peddle white iPhones (though Apple finally came out with the official version), but the spike in media attention seems to have doomed him to be made an example of. One guy who's on Lam's side? Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

"I met Woz and was really shy," said Lam, who apparently sold a kit to him. "He actually went on the Engadget Show and sort of defended me."

Now, Lam is focusing on keeping out of the spotlight and working on a new project, a website called SimilarInterests.org. But Lam doesn't rule out trying to work for the very company after his neck.

"It'd be interesting," he said, of working at Apple someday.

Comments

[Michael Shanley]

09:24 AM on 06/01/2011

This is directly from the lawsuit:

Defendent Lam willfully and without authorization has used Apple’s trademarks in connection with the sale of his “White iPhone 4 Conversion Kits,” which among other things included white front and back panels with Apple’s logo and “iPhone” trademarks that are used in connection with the promotion and sale of Apple’s well known iPhone 4 handheld mobile digital electronic devices. Defendant at all times knew that Apple never has authorized the sale of white panels for its iPhone 4 mobile devices, and that he obtained these panels from sources that were not authorized by Apple or any of its suppliers to sell them.

[Michael Shanley]

09:03 AM on 06/01/2011

For those needing more information as to what actually is occuring, you can always find additional sources regarding a story on HP by looking at the bottom of the article and reading additional articles written on the subject....this way your more informed. For those wondering where i came to the conclusions i did, it's through this additional reading.

[Max Shaw]

05:54 PM on 05/31/2011

Dude could have avoided all lawsuits all together had be receievd the parts and manufactured them overseas and set up his website also using a foreign internet service provider.

[gemini68]

04:06 PM on 05/31/2011

I'm sorry but am I supposed to feel sorry for this kid? he was deliberately violating patent law and illegally obtaining parts from Apple's manufacturer. And if they had sued him they would have won. He should be thanking his lucky stars that they dropped the suit.

[Michael Shanley]

10:20 AM on 06/01/2011

Most likely they settled according to several articles....

[gemini68]

10:28 AM on 06/01/2011

I am aware of this. But its stands to reason that if they had gone to trial they would have won- and whatever monetary reward Apple would have gotten would have ruined the kid for life. They did the right thing settling as he is young- but he's also wrong.

[AJ in ATL]

03:06 PM on 05/31/2011

Apple loves to use bullying tatics esspecially on things that change the product they produced. When someone buys an Iphone they have the right to jailbrake it which Apple sued about and to change the covers if they so wish as they own the hardware at that point. Apple has the right to void warrenties in this case but they do not have the right to tell the consumer that they can do what they want with the hardware they just bought. This kid did nothing wrong and I would love for some attorny to countersue Apple for harrasement.

[PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS]

12:57 PM on 05/31/2011

If I own the phone and decide to customize it who the frack is Apple to tell me that I can't. I can't seem to see their logo on those covers...................

[Michael Shanley]

09:04 AM on 06/01/2011

Its there, that was part of the lawsuit. read the additional articles and links under this article.

[MtnGeek]

11:47 AM on 05/31/2011

Suing teens ... another reason not to like Apple. Honestly, who cares how "clever" their products are if they are the front end of a ruthless corporation like this?

[Michael Shanley]

12:14 PM on 05/31/2011

The age of the party is irrrevelent..they are protecting their technogical innovation. Said person (any age) doesn't get to distibute stolen parts and make a buck on someone's elses designs and investment.

[Matt Raven]

01:26 PM on 05/31/2011

I dont recall a single word in the article that the parts were stolen. Where are you getting that information?

[ThaGovna]

11:24 AM on 05/31/2011

I really do-not-like-Apple. Foxconn/the guy who worked at Foxconn is the real guilty part here, not this kid. I wonder what action they took against the guy he got the parts from?????

[Michael Shanley]

12:17 PM on 05/31/2011

no they both are. Example. Your making the case for a teenager to buy a stolen car, let's say your car. Then said kid tries to sale your stolen car, but gets caught, and instead of punishing the kid, you'd want the police to let him go? Or does this change your mind once its your car?

Fact. in this example kid is still gonna go to juvie and have a record. You don't get off due to your age, or even if you were unaware of it being stolen.

[Lindstr7]

02:03 PM on 05/31/2011

Okay, Judge Judy.

[Jaskoen]

04:27 PM on 05/31/2011

What, exactly, was stolen?

[Chockolate]

08:32 AM on 05/31/2011

Apple is the Church Of Scientology of technology.

[SuperBenFranklin]

07:47 PM on 05/30/2011

Why was getting parts and selling them against the law?

[bkerensa]

02:12 AM on 05/31/2011

Patent

[andrewh411]

12:26 PM on 05/31/2011

Seems like people sure do have an opinion about these kinds of topics without knowing the laws that are put in place inorder to protect people such as apple from getting ideas stolen from inorder to make profit.

[AJ in ATL]

03:09 PM on 05/31/2011

Was there a patent in place for the cover? There is nothing special about the design to begin and appears to be injected molded plastic.

[Mister Grumpy]

03:19 PM on 05/30/2011

Way to go Apple.......... show that kid what capitalism is really all about............

Crushing your competition by suing them to death.............

[andrewh411]

12:27 PM on 05/31/2011

that kid wasnt competition. He was making money off of a stolen project.

[Lindstr7]

02:04 PM on 05/31/2011

Where does it say the kid stole anything.

[Seedomang]

01:34 PM on 05/30/2011

Who cares

[Lindstr7]

02:06 PM on 05/31/2011

I didn't much care until I noticed a few posters batting away at anyone who had less-than-positive things to say about Apple. Paid Shills annoy me.

[Michael Shanley]

05:38 PM on 05/31/2011

stupid people annoy me. you annoy me. connection, yes.

[Nick Lyons]

08:18 AM on 05/30/2011

When did Apple buy the color white?

[andrewh411]

12:27 PM on 05/31/2011

Its not the color white, its the product that was being sold

[ktetch]

08:10 PM on 05/31/2011

Ah yes, you mean injection-molded plastic. Now we know how Apple has become so rich, by taking royalties off thousands of companies for decades....

Oh wait, Apple doesn't have a damned leg to stand on, and this is yet another example of Intellectual Monopoly laws being (ab)used in a massively one sided civil law 'extortion'.

It happens a lot these days. Big company tells small one to pay up and fall into line or else they'll file suits and motions in the suits that will bankrupt the company to defend, but will destroy the business if they don't.

American Legal system, the best that money can buy.

[Jack Daniels Esq]

06:13 AM on 05/30/2011

Betcha he's gonna make white versions of Facebook

[Jack Daniels Esq]

06:15 AM on 05/30/2011

.. and Twitter next - cut the Kool Aid - good to be back with my way cool mod - lol

[MAJK]

04:58 AM on 05/30/2011

This is what happens when you are a slave to a corporation like Apple. Android and Google actually allow their customers to customize their phones anyway they please, including installing different OS's or non-market apps..

Ahhhhh... Freedom.

[Michael Shanley]

12:17 PM on 05/31/2011

Thta's not at all what the article is reporting...

[Lindstr7]

02:07 PM on 05/31/2011

okay shill.