China's Instagram-like social networking app removed from app store over suspected design copy

Source:Global Times Published: 2019/9/4 22:02:57

Oasis, an Instagram-like social networking app launched by China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo, was removed from app stores on Wednesday after being found to have similar visual designs as posts created by a South Korean design studio.

The app, which was launched on Monday, could not be searched on both Apple's app store and Android's app store as of press time. 

A Weibo user Wang Liao wrote on Wednesday that the icon design of Oasis looks like posts designed by well-known South Korean graphic design studio Studio Fnt for movie festival Ulju Mountain in 2015. Both of the designs feature similar elements such as a cactus and the sun, with small differences in design color. 

The post has sparked anger on China's social media platform, with some netizens calling Oasis a copycat and vowing never to download it again. "It's so shameful. From the concept to the design, Oasis copied virtually everything from their peers," commented a Weibo user weiqiangoodesign, who said he has already uninstalled the app.

The app's official Weibo account apologized in a post on Wednesday and admitted that designers did "refer" to design elements that are publicly available on the internet such as the sun, a desert and a cactus at the initial stage. 

"We have been consulting with relevant designers to solve copyright issues and have launched an internal inspection on the matter," read the post. It also said that it has temporarily removed the app from app stores over copyright protection issues.

Oasis was in third place on Apple's app store free download ranking list on Tuesday. Its service is still in beta, and it is unclear when it will be open to the public.  



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