Search, Steal, Scale: The art of copying to dominate the market.
Did you know that Youtube shorts and Instagram reels were both "copied" from TikTok ? Now, Youtube shorts and Instagram reels reports over 6 Billion, while TikTok reports 1 Billion users.
This article is about The Art of Stealing Ideas and making them truly yours and even better making them bigger than the pioneers: How Companies Make Billions by Borrowing Brilliance, most of the time, stealing from others.
Did you know that Youtube shorts and Instagram reels were both copied from TikTok by Google and Facebook ? Today Reels and Shorts reports over 6 billions monthly active users while TikTok is at 1 Billion.
Even though, Youtube shorts and Instagram reels were copied from TikTok, Today Reels and Shorts reports over 6 billions monthly active users while TikTok is at 1 Billion.
Today, I would argue Google is at the centre of tech but the tale of Google's rise to dominance in the smartphone market begins with a brazen act of idea theft. In a stroke of strategic genius, Google shamelessly replicated Apple's iOS model with Android, only to then make it open source—a move that would ultimately reshape the landscape of mobile technology.
Innovation has long been hailed as the cornerstone of success in the business world, innovation is nothing a new combination of other people’s ideas. Yet, lurking beneath the surface of every groundbreaking idea lies a trail of inspiration, borrowed concepts, and yes, even outright theft. This provocative article drills into the shadowy realm of idea theft, exploring how companies across the globe have shamelessly pilfered innovations to make billions, legally and sometimes illegally.
1. Apple: The Master of Repackaging, It is a better way to steal!
Despite its reputation for cutting-edge innovation, Apple is no stranger to borrowing ideas as Steve Jobs said great artists, steal. Take the iPod, for example, which revolutionised the music industry. Its iconic click wheel? Borrowed from a British inventor, Kane Kramer, who patented a similar design years earlier.
Similarly, the iPhone's touchscreen technology wasn't a stroke of original genius but rather an amalgamation of ideas already floating in the tech sphere. Apple's genius lies not in inventing new technologies but in repackaging and marketing them better than anyone else.
2. Facebook: Social Networking or Outright stealing, Let's say borrowing?
Mark Zuckerberg didn't invent social networking, nor did he invent the concept of the "like" button. Facebook's meteoric rise to dominance was fueled by Zuckerberg's ability to recognize promising ideas and adapt them for his platform.
The story of Facebook's origins, famously depicted in the movie "The Social Network," is a testament to the art of idea appropriation (simply borrowing with no consent). Whether it's the concept of a social network itself or features like photo tagging, Facebook has built its empire (Instagram, whatsApp) on the borrowed brilliance of others including Snapchat, TikTok and a long list of startups
The CEO of instgram (under Facebook) said something like “When you are an innovator, that’s awesome, This isn’t about who invented it. This is about how you take it to a network (translation: facebook) and put your own spin on it."
3. Google: Search, Steal, Scale
Google's motto may be "Don't be evil," but that hasn't stopped the tech giant from borrowing liberally from its competitors. From search algorithms to email services, Maps to Google Ads, Google's success can be attributed in part to its knack for identifying promising ideas and making them its own or just kill them and incorporate their best features into their mainstream products.
The Android operating system, for instance, was not an original creation but rather an acquisition then married with a stolen business model. Google purchased Android Inc. in 2005 and transformed it into the dominant mobile OS we know today, leaving competitors like Apple scrambling to keep up.
4. Alibaba: China's Copycat King😊
In the world of e-commerce, Alibaba reigns supreme. Yet, much of its success can be traced back to its founder, Jack Ma's, penchant for imitation. Alibaba's business model, website design, and even its logo bear striking resemblances to their Western counterparts.
While Alibaba has faced criticism for its copycat tactics, there's no denying the company's ability to turn borrowed ideas into billions. From online marketplaces to digital payment systems, Alibaba has reshaped China's e-commerce landscape by shamelessly stealing and adapting ideas from the West.
5. Wechat: A better copy of everything !😂
The story of Tencent's ascent in the realm of messaging apps is a testament to the art of imitation elevated to new heights. With audacity, Tencent meticulously replicated the blueprint of WhatsApp, transforming it into WeChat, a behemoth that would redefine communication in China and beyond. In short Wechat is PayPal, CashApp, Twitter, Whatsapp, Uber, Zoom, Netflix, Mpesa, DoorDash and Instagram rolled into one busy mobile app.
Yet, in a twist of irony, Tencent's success has come full circle, as now, it finds itself in the enviable position of being the one imitated. As competitors scramble to emulate the formula that propelled WeChat to unprecedented heights, it becomes evident that in the world of innovation, the line between inspiration and imitation is often blurred—and those who master the art of replication often find themselves at the forefront of industry dominance
Conclusion:
Innovation is often hailed as the holy grail of business success but trust me there's more, The truth is, there's nothing new under the sun (my mum says that a lot). The art of stealing ideas and making billions with them is as old as commerce itself. Companies like Apple, Facebook, Google, and Alibaba have built empires not by reinventing the wheel but by borrowing brilliance and making it their own. So the next time you marvel at a groundbreaking product or service, remember that behind every success story lies a trail of borrowed ideas and probably a bunch of lies. After all, in the cutthroat world of business, it's not about who invents it first but who makes it better.