Amazon Stops Accepting Apps In Germany Due To Apple's App Store Trademark Claim

from the playing-trademark-hardball dept

Tue, Aug 2nd 2011 3:59am — Mike Masnick

While it appears that Apple is not having much luck in the US in claiming that Amazon violated its trademark by offering an App Store that sells (you guessed it!) apps, apparently it is having an impact in Germany. Copycense points us to the news that Amazon has sent a letter to developers in Germany telling them it can no longer accept any new apps for its app store due to this dispute:

Subject: Important Notice for Germany Based Developers

Dear Amazon Appstore Developer,

Thank you for your participation in the Amazon Appstore for Android. We wanted to notify you of a recent change to your Developer Portal account; for the time being, we are not accepting new app submissions from developers located in Germany. We have been forced to impose this restriction due to a legal action filed by Apple in Germany seeking to prevent us from using the term �appstore.� We believe Apple�s claim is without merit and are actively contesting it.

When you log into your Developer Portal account, you will notice that the options to add new apps have been removed. We hope to begin accepting new apps from German developers again soon and will notify you as soon as we are able to do so.

We appreciate your patience and your continued interest in the Amazon Appstore for Android.

Thank you,

Amazon Appstore Account Team

While I'm guessing this makes Apple happy, it really is showing the world what a bully the company is when it comes to developers. You can get away with that for some time, but when there are real alternatives...

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Filed Under: app store, germany, trademark
Companies: amazon, apple

30 Comments

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The eejit (profile), 2 Aug 2011 @ 3:38am

Well, at least Amazon are owning up to the fact that the system is FUBAR beyond FUBAR.
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John Doe, 2 Aug 2011 @ 4:13am

I know it sux, by what doesn't Amazon just rename their store?
Why doesn't Amazon just rename their store and be done with it? Amazon is big enough that they can get the word out about the name change so it won't hurt them in the long run. I know Apple is being a schoolyard bully here and they will not change their market position by picking on Amazon, but maybe Amazon should give in and make the change?

I would love, for once, to see companies battle it out in the marketplace rather than the courts.
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- A.R.M. (profile), 2 Aug 2011 @ 4:22am
  
  Re: I know it sux, by what doesn't Amazon just rename their store?
  "I would love, for once, to see companies battle it out in the marketplace rather than the courts."
  What part of "Apple is taking out the market in 'marketplace'" did you not get?
  
  There is no marketplace to even have a battle, let alone have it settled.
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- btrussell (profile), 2 Aug 2011 @ 4:24am
  
  Re: I know it sux, by what doesn't Amazon just rename their store?
  Why doesn't Apple just rename their store? iAppStore
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  - DannyB (profile), 2 Aug 2011 @ 5:48am
    
    Re: Re: I know it sux, by what doesn't Amazon just rename their store?
    Wouldn't this be a better solution:
    
    Why doesn't Amazon just rename their store? iAppStore
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    - btrussell (profile), 2 Aug 2011 @ 6:19am
      
      Re: Re: Re: I know it sux, by what doesn't Amazon just rename their store?
      Or Amazon could go with iAteAppleStore.
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      - Richard (profile), 2 Aug 2011 @ 10:43am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: I know it sux, by what doesn't Amazon just rename their store?
        Maybe once they have taken Apple over?
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      - Zot-Sindi, 2 Aug 2011 @ 5:08pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: I know it sux, by what doesn't Amazon just rename their store?
        ibadAppleStore
        
        irottenAppleStore
        
        ...the possibilities...
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    - Ninja (profile), 2 Aug 2011 @ 6:51am
      
      Re: Re: Re: I know it sux, by what doesn't Amazon just rename their store?
      Agreed but Apple could rename their store to NaziStore. And the name of the company to "IV Reich". Not that catchy but at least it's closer to reality ;)
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- IronM@sk, 2 Aug 2011 @ 4:27am
  
  Re: I know it sux, by what doesn't Amazon just rename their store?
  Err... they were battling it out in the marketplace, then Apple got genuinely scared they would lose to the competition and took the cowards option and sued.
  
  You can't "battle" with someone who just runs away and deploys the nukes when they're losing.
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- PaulT (profile), 2 Aug 2011 @ 5:30am
  
  Re: I know it sux, by what doesn't Amazon just rename their store?
  "Amazon is big enough"
  
  Which is possibly why they should stand on principle. They stand a much bigger chance of stopping this sort of thing than a smaller player.
  
  "I know Apple is being a schoolyard bully... maybe Amazon should give in and make the change?"
  
  Erm, I don't know which school you went to, but since when did the local bully stop bullying just because you gave in? Most bullies would take that as a sign to continue.
  
  "I would love, for once, to see companies battle it out in the marketplace rather than the courts."
  
  Me too, but I think the onus here is on Apple to stop, not on Amazon to cave.
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  - Ninja (profile), 2 Aug 2011 @ 7:10am
    
    Re: Re: I know it sux, by what doesn't Amazon just rename their store?
    Agree, Apple needs some real beating.
    
    But then again, the patent and trademark systems are to blame for this mess...
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  - Slave of Amazon, 2 Aug 2011 @ 9:38am
    
    Re: Re: I know it sux, by what doesn't Amazon just rename their store?
    You don't know much about Amazon's app pricing, do you?
    
    http://shiftyjelly.wordpress.com/2011/08/02/amazon-app-store-rotten-to-the-core/
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- Stuart, 2 Aug 2011 @ 6:14am
  
  Re: I know it sux, by what doesn't Amazon just rename their store?
  Apple is bringing in the courts.
  Only by defending itself will Amazon be allowed to battle Apple in the marketplace.
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specialized (profile), 2 Aug 2011 @ 4:21am

Why doesn't Amazon just rename their store and be done with it?

IMO, they don't give up because they're in the right. On top of that, every time this story comes up it sheds light to Apple's unsavory side, while putting Amazon in a good light.

I would love, for once, to see companies battle it out in the marketplace rather than the courts.

Absolutely me too, but if Amazon gave in, it would solidify Apple's position to continue to sue over bogus trademark claims.
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Anonymous Coward, 2 Aug 2011 @ 5:15am

Personally, I've never seen the appeal of using anything Apple, whether it be itunes, ipod, iphones, or anything else "i" when there are so many other (and in my opinion better - at least over the long haul) options available.
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- Sean T Henry (profile), 2 Aug 2011 @ 12:49pm
  
  Re:
  I do not know I like the iTard they are so fun to watch its like placing a blond in a round room and telling them they can only pee in the corner or they get shocked.
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Woadan, 2 Aug 2011 @ 5:21am

Apple Sux
Apple got its start from stealing from Xerox PARC. Apple now sues those who do now what they did then.

Apple no longer innovates. It litigates.

Time to do away with all this fol-de-rol. No copyrights. No patents.
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- Big Mike's Biggest Fan, 2 Aug 2011 @ 9:34am
  
  Re: Apple Sux
  To quote Big Mike from yesterday, "This is wrong. And it is stupid. Please stop repeating it."
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Tim K (profile), 2 Aug 2011 @ 5:27am

I don't see how any court can make a move against apple when Steve Jobs says that it is an application store, not apple store, http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110426/17303414047/amazon-uses-steve-jobs-words-against-him-app-s tore-dispute.shtml
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Edmund, 2 Aug 2011 @ 5:52am

Trademark
If Amazon registered Apps earlier than Apple, then it can sell back to Apple, haha.
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- Sean T Henry (profile), 2 Aug 2011 @ 12:51pm
  
  Re: Trademark
  The term app has been in use since the 80s.
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Anonymous Coward, 2 Aug 2011 @ 6:17am

The legal system is just another front in the war for becoming a monopoly. The ultimate goal of every free market is one choice. Interfering with that model, making room for the illusion of "competition" is naive.
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- FuzzyDuck, 2 Aug 2011 @ 6:36am
  
  Re:
  You mean the Ultimate goal of any Big Company is to abolish the free market and create a monopoly for itself.
  
  The free market doesn't exist without oversight and regulation.
  
  An activist population helps too. It's time to ditch Apple products, now that they've clearly become evil.
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abc gum, 2 Aug 2011 @ 7:25am

Is it a One Click App Store?
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Richard (profile), 2 Aug 2011 @ 7:54am

What I'd love to see happen is for Amazon to say 'Fuck it. De-list all Apple products from this moment on'. A company the size of Amazon would do some financial damage as many people like getting their stuff via Amazon as there are always good deals. Pretty sure Apple would would shut the fuck up when they see that their bottom line is in jeopardy. (if only temporary)
The whole ethos and school yard bullying that Apple have is disgusting and I would love to watch that company go belly up due to them taking it too far one day.
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- Jeffrey Nonken (profile), 2 Aug 2011 @ 10:01am
  
  Re:
  It would be satisfying in a way, but unfortunately it would just serve to make Amazon look like the bully.
  
  If Apple got angry about Amazon carrying Apple products and legally required them to stop, it would make sense for Amazon to use that tactic. We saw something like this happen last week. But to just take their ball and go home? Petulant whining.
  
  No, I think Amazon is correct to try to fight this on its own merits. And unlike most of us, at least they can afford the lawyers.
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Anonymous Coward, 2 Aug 2011 @ 9:16am

It's good to see IP laws hard at work encouraging innovation and creativity.
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Ivan, 2 Aug 2011 @ 6:15pm

Steve Jobs: Good artists copy, great artists steal
I love this video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW0DUg63lqU&feature=related
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Mar 2013 @ 5:10am

WAQAS1993@YAHOO.COM
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