It’s not just the fans, Samsung’s chairman is also mad at the Apple-inspired designs

Samsung’s mobile division (MX) seems to be in hot water for aping Apple’s design language with the new Galaxy Buds 3 series and Galaxy Watch Ultra. In addition to facing flak from fans, Samsung MX has reportedly drawn the ire of Samsung Electronics’ Chairman Jay Y. Lee.

As per a recent report from Korean media outlet AjuNews (via SamMobile), Lee recently ordered Samsung MX to reevaluate its plans and took strict action against some executives, including the division’s President TM Roh.

Insiders familiar with the developments have revealed that Lee “stepped in after the controversy over Apple’s design plagiarism and quality issues surrounding the Buds 3 series and Galaxy Watch 7 released last month. The internal atmosphere is currently very bad.”

In case you’re not in the loop, the entire controversy stems from Samsung’s design choices for the new Galaxy Buds 3, Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and Galaxy Watch Ultra. These devices bear an uncanny resemblance to Apple’s AirPods, AirPods Pro, and the Apple Watch Ultra.

With the new earbuds, Samsung has moved away from its iconic bean-shaped design and opted for an AirPods-like design with stems. The charging case is also nearly identical, and Samsung has even implemented pinch and swipe gestures similar to the AirPods.

On the other hand, the Galaxy Watch Ultra’s boxy and chunky design with orange accents makes it look a lot like the Apple Watch Ultra. The orange quick button on the side and the strap choices also resemble Apple’s top-end smartwatch.

On top of the copied designs, Samsung also faced quality control issues with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. The company was forced to suspend sales when early buyers reported various issues with the earbuds, including fragile ear tips that were prone to tearing. This seems to have been another cause for concern for the group’s chairman.

These developments could force Samsung MX to reevaluate its recent choices and do better with upcoming products. However, we’ll probably have to wait a while to see how things unfold as the next major Galaxy launch is still a few months away.