http://mashable.com/2012/10/27/apple-stolen-ideas/

Best to click on the link for the entire article, diagrams and photos.

Apple is the largest and most successful technology company in the world’s history, but how did it arrive at that lofty perch? Did it create all the ideas folded into its shiny gadgets, or did it beg, borrow and steal them?

Of course, the answer is, all of the above. That’s the point of this infographic from BestMastersPrograms.org, using a variety of sources to arrive at this extensive collection of stats, illustrations and information about Apple and its explosively popular product line.

Steve Jobs liked to brag about how Apple has “always been shameless about stealing great ideas,” but the Cupertino company didn’t just lift all of its product ideas, did it? No. After you’ve traced every Apple product back to its humble origins, consider the possibility that Apple’s obsessive attention to detail wasn’t copied from many other companies.

For instance, who was Apple copying when it created its elegant, easy-to-open packaging? Which company was first to create a truly smooth-scrolling touchscreen? And taken to its extreme, we’re not aware of any tech manufacturer that ever created a video extolling the virtues of its product’s “chamfered edges.”

What do you think? Let us know in the comments if you think the examples in the infographic are off-base or right on the money. Of course, this infographic leaves out all of Apple’s original creations. Which products or characteristics do you think Apple can claim sole responsibility for?