Tech Companies Fighting Apple's App Store Trademark Around The World

from the fight-fight-fight dept

Tue, May 17th 2011 1:01am — Mike Masnick

While there are already court battles in the US over Apple's attempt to trademark "app store," it appears that tech companies are having to be diligent around the world. A bunch of companies are now challenging Apple's attempt to trademark "app store" in the EU as well. Honestly, this whole thing seems like a waste of time. Would it really harm Apple when others use the term "app store"? It was Apple's lawyers who, a few years back, popularized the "moron in a hurry" standard for judging the likelihood of confusion on trademarks. It seems that perhaps they should try applying it to themselves at times.

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Filed Under: app store, apple, eu, trademark
Companies: apple

7 Comments

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xenomancer (profile), 17 May 2011 @ 2:06am

Apple in a Hurry
I'm sure that Apple pushed so hard for the "moron in a hurry" standard because of a fundamental paradox in their target market: people who religiously believe everyone else is a moron in a hurry, and must constantly defend themselves against such accusations even when none are made. Visit any starbucks to find these "individuals" attempting to prove they have self worth.

/sarc

Apple needs to wake up to the fact that no matter how high the walls around their garden are, they cant spray for weeds at the house two blocks down and not expect an angry letter and/or lawsuit.
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Tom The Toe, 17 May 2011 @ 3:57am

In A Hurry
Apple can't apply this thinking to themselves when they are in fact the moron in a hurry.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 May 2011 @ 7:18am

Every body SUE APPLE NOW
yes htis is how you fight the evil do what they do launch silly lawsuits....
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Mr. Smarta**, 17 May 2011 @ 9:14am

It was Apple's lawyers who, a few years back, popularized the "moron in a hurry" standard for judging the likelihood of confusion on trademarks. It seems that perhaps they should try applying it to themselves at times.

"That's it! We're gonna sue!!! Yeah! We're gonna sue for that comment!!! We'll take it all the way up past the US Supreme Court and up to United Nations!! We may even take it further to the... Galactic... Court Judiciary System... which will be created in the future to handle all piracy and trademark infringement performed by aliens of other worlds. YEAH!!! YEAH, THAT'S WHAT WE'LL DO!"

...other stories have been posted after this post was created, so I hope nobody reads this...
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DogBreath, 17 May 2011 @ 11:24am

Re:
Yea man, like I went to McDonalds and saw the price for a "Big Mac" was real cheap-like you know? So I ordered one, and all I got was a lousy hamburger??? "Where is the Mac computer I ordered?!", I shouted. A bait and switch operation in progress is what that place is, I tell ya. So who do I sue first? McDonalds for false advertising, or Apple for not putting these flim-flam artists out of business in the first place?
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daniel (profile), 17 May 2011 @ 2:22pm

"moron in a hurry"
To all the morons in a hurry to toss tomatoes.

Let Apple have their trademark for "App Store" If it was so obvious the name would have been trademarked years ago. And, if you really don't want Apple to have their trademark... then why are you not tossing rotten eggs at Microsoft?

Bill & Co. had windows trademarked... after the term was already in wide use regarding computer displays. They even had SQL Server trademarked, again... after the term was already in use by the industry.

But yet, to those 'morons in a hurry' to cast stones at Apple for trademarking a name that others are slapping their foreheads and saying... "I could have trademarked that!".

And what about Disney getting a trademark on "Seal Team 6"? Are you kidding me? A National Hero military team (Government owned and paid for by our tax dollars - which mean 'public domain') is now taken by a corporation to capitalize on the death of an unarmed man.

So for you 'morons in a hurry'... stop and smell the truth.
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DogBreath, 17 May 2011 @ 9:56pm

Re: "moron in a hurry"
So for you 'morons in a hurry'... stop and smell the truth.

Steve Jobs: Smell that? You smell that?
EU: What?
Steve Jobs: Trademark, son. Nothing in the world smells like that.
[kneels]
Steve Jobs: I love the smell of trademark in the morning. You know, one time we had a small company tied up in court, for 12 months straight. When it was all over, I walked into their main office. We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' trademark infringer. The smell, you know that laser printer toner smell, the whole building. Smelled like... Monopoly. Someday this infringement war's gonna end...
[Steve Jobs unhappily walks off]
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