In a move that should surprise no one, Apple has threatened legal action against Chinese manufacturer In Icons, makers of the 12-inch Steve Jobs action figure. Apple apparently sent a letter to In Icons claiming to own the rights to Jobs’ likeness, as well as uses of Apple’s logo and the appearance of Apple’s products.

The doll, which became available for pre-order from In Icons’ website on Tuesday, costs $99 and is set to release in late February – most likely the 24th, Jobs’ birthday, but that has not been confirmed. The action figure comes with two sets of glasses and three pairs of interchangeable hands, as well as Jobs’ trademark turtleneck, blue jeans, and sneakers. It also includes a “One More Thing” backdrop, a reference to Jobs’ famed tendency to mask announcements of some of Apple’s more remarkable products at the end of his keynote addresses.

Given that the doll was not authorized by either the Jobs estate or Apple, I predicted on Tuesday that it would likely never see release. It looks like that will turn out to be the case. However, an eBay seller in Hong Kong already has some of the figures for sale. The item listing claims that 26 have been sold and three remain available, which can be purchased for $135 (plus $28 shipping) and claims that buyers can expect delivery sometime between January 26th and February 8th. So if you want one of these things desperately enough to pay $163 for it, then head on over and get it while you can.

[Source: The Telegraph]