ZTE is claiming the Huawei Nexus 6P rips off one of its own devices

The Huawei-made Nexus 6P is definitely one of the most unique looking Nexus smartphones to date, but not so unique that Huawei isn’t being accused of copying someone else’s design. The accuser in question is ZTE, which is one of Huawei’s fellow Chinese smartphone makers, and while ZTE marketing director Lu Qian Ha didn’t go so far as to directly accuse Huawei of copying one of ZTE’s smartphones, saying that it “pays heavy tribute” to the ZTE Grand S leaves little doubt as to what he really means. 

The Nexus 6P is a gorgeous device, and we were initially taken aback by the revelation that Huawei knows how to build a pretty good kit. But one company suggests they’ve had some key influence in its design. ZTE has come out to claim that Huawei lifted the design for the Nexus 6P from their Athena smartphone (which launched in most markets as the ZTE Grand S). They weren’t too harsh about it, it seems. In fact, if this translation is the least bit accurate it even sounds like they were flattered at the thought. Taking a look for ourselves, the back panel does look quite similar. It’s placed at the top and it’s black, after all. And that’s where the similarities end. Look — it’s not a common design, this we know, but it’s a bit silly to claim Huawei lifted all of the Nexus 6P’s looks from the Athena when it’s just this one particular element that happens to be similar. Since when did we start caring much about shared elements of design between smartphones, anyway?