Garret from HipChat here - We obviously agree that lots of apps have used chat bubbles in logos over the years. In fact, probably way too many. The only reason its an issue this time around is that our users are genuinely confused when they try to use both apps. This didn't happen when they used iChat, Echofon, or any other bubble-logoed apps alongside HipChat. The new Messages icon is similar enough that it's a problem, and we don't want our users to be confused.

I agree. Although I do think Apple blatantly copied here.

In fact to me it looks like the new Messages logo is derived from the old iChat logo with some of the skew removed and another bubble added. Nothing to see here...

It's even more similar to the Apple Developer Forum logo: https://developer.apple.com/devforums/

Both are very close to webOS' "Messaging" application, which I think precede them. As you say, though, it is a generic idea.

And iChat's use of the speech bubbles for IM dates back to 1997:

http://jens.mooseyard.com/2008/03/the-origin-of-the-ichat-ui...

A very novel UI at the time.. here is a cached version of the broken pic: http://6.media.tumblr.com/MitMvSO0c6w81bbgrsKunjNE_500.png

Microsoft Comic Chat, first released 13 August 1996, even crazier UI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Comic_Chat

First demo January 1996: http://kurlander.net/DJ/Videos/ComicChatVideo.shtml

wtf. that's just awesome. why aren't everyone using that?

Even funnier, the military used it in the Iraq war to communicate.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.06/battlefield_pr.html

"We'll be in the middle of a battle and a bunch of field artillery colonels will come online in the form of these big-breasted blondes."

Because (a) IRC is relatively dead (b) it sent a bunch of funny formatting codes which are a mess to read if you're not using Comic Chat too and everyone else was annoyed with that (c) it's kind of hard to find a copy these days.

But it was a fun little client back in the day.

Sorry, I was referring to iMessage.

Agree on the no controversy. I went looking to make a chat icon for a project about a week ago, and looked on dribbble to see some ideas before I started. Chat icons all looked the same. I found examples that looked nearly identical to the hipChat icon and did something similar in my own icon. Never heard of hipChat but the logo is not original or unthought of. I can't see a problem here.

Never heard of HipChat? That ugly billboard on US-101 North by Redwood City was clearly wasted. https://www.google.com/search?ix=seb&q=hipchat+billboard...

(p.s. Y i no use hipchat? b/c ur face!!1)

Both chat icons really remind me of the golden ratio iCloud icon. Story is here:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3117017