Apple's Clone Wars: A Story of Brand Identity and Licensing Gone Wrong

This article recounts the dramatic history of Apple's relationship with Mac clone manufacturers. From initial crackdowns to a brief period of licensing and eventual abandonment, the story of Apple's clone program reflects the fragility of brand identity and the complexities of licensing strategies. The article examines numerous clone manufacturers, including Unitron, Power Computing, and UMAX, and their intertwined relationships with Apple. It analyzes the reasons behind the failure of Apple's clone program, ultimately attributing it to factors such as unclear market positioning, profit conflicts, and poor timing. This article is not just a piece of tech history, but a case study in business decisions and brand management.