Copyright in app design

jsmoke · 17 Feb 2019 at 10:12

Does anyone know anything about this. Seems a slightly grey area in some parts.

Can you copy UI design for example. I think things like graphics, including icons and logos are copyrighted, maybe not though but I wouldn't copy these anyway but there are some UI designs I quite like, listviews, menus, checkboxes, buttons, labels and plenty more.

So what's the law regarding copying, or partially copying the UI, from a google search there seems to be no copyright on it?

For example if I copy 100% the UI of an app and added my own graphics would I get into trouble?

gord · 18 Feb 2019 at 09:17

jsmoke said:
For example if I copy 100% the UI of an app and added my own graphics would I get into trouble?

More than likely yes, the key being you're copying 100% of an interface. It would be quite obvious that you've ripped it off, rather than taking inspiration from it to make a better version for your audience. Items like checkboxes and menus are typically standard, so are not copyrightable. It's the combination and any unique interaction elements that complicate matters. Same for logos and icons, anything unique or bespoke will be copyrighted, but there are plenty of icon libraries out there free to use.

unwashed potato! · 21 Feb 2019 at 22:59

change icons and logos and text and i'm confident you'll be fine, assuming it's not a like for like copy of a small app, and your app does an identical service then i doubt you'd ever get found out, or by the time you're big enough, lets say your app becomes popular over the next couple years, the other app will likely have had a facelift any way, or even if they haven't, they may send a letter saying "change your design or we sue", so you just change the design slightly.

i can't imagine a situation where an app would be able to be that different any way. lets take dominoes pizza app. if pizza hut copied the design, but changed the colour theme icons etc, what would dominoes do? i doubt they'd even care.

touch · 22 Feb 2019 at 08:27

jsmoke said:
Can you copy UI design for example. I think things like graphics, including icons and logos are copyrighted, maybe not though but I wouldn't copy these anyway but there are some UI designs I quite like, listviews, menus, checkboxes, buttons, labels and plenty more.

So what's the law regarding copying, or partially copying the UI, from a google search there seems to be no copyright on it?

You can't copy anything from another app. All the stuff you mentioned (listviews, menus, checkboxes, buttons, labels) will all be copyrighted. Chances are that they're from a third-party library and are either free to use* or available at a small cost. So you can easily use them in your app if you want, but you need to check the licence first.

*free doesn't mean they are not copyright. You still need to comply with the license agreement to use them.

skyripper · 22 Feb 2019 at 09:36

Fairly sure the answer is no said:
i can't imagine a situation where an app would be able to be that different any way. lets take dominoes pizza app. if pizza hut copied the design, but changed the colour theme icons etc, what would dominoes do? i doubt they'd even care.

Any idea how protectionist a marketting or legal department of a major corporation can be when it comes to someone else copying design, brand, look and feel? Or protecting the investment in development time, testing and support when it comes to an online presence. Even if that is "just an App". If a victim compny feel they can prove it, they will go after the offending competitor because the legal costs [and poor publicity] will normally be way higher than the offender taking down the copy and doing it properly in the first place.

unwashed potato! · 22 Feb 2019 at 18:58

Perhaps jsmoke can give an example, as I am sure with the billions of apps out there, many are as good as a copy as the others.

jsmoke · 24 Feb 2019 at 10:20

touch said:
You can't copy anything from another app. All the stuff you mentioned (listviews, menus, checkboxes, buttons, labels) will all be copyrighted. Chances are that they're from a third-party library and are either free to use* or available at a small cost. So you can easily use them in your app if you want, but you need to check the licence first.

*free doesn't mean they are not copyright. You still need to comply with the license agreement to use them.

Well after some googling there doesn't seem to be any copyright on UI design, https://stackoverflow.com/questions/248606/are-uis-copyrighted, graphics and code yes, they seem to be copyrighted the moment they are created but actual layout/UI/design, there is no copyright, only if you were to patent it.