The INQUIRER: Because it's already tomorrow and yesterday somewhere
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Apple sues Amazon over the term 'app store'
MAKER OF SHINY TOYS Apple has sued Amazon for alleged infringement of its trademarked name, "App Store".
Apple claims that Amazon is "improperly using" Apple's trademark in connection to its mobile software developer programme and its application download service, which launched today with close to 4,000 apps.
Since Amazon's app store is for Android, it is likely a major source of contention, given how much market share Android is stealing from Apple's devices. Amazon's strong presence online also gives it a fighting chance of making its app store highly successful.
Apple issued a cease and desist order to Amazon on three occasions, it claims, but these were ignored, according to Bloomberg. Apple claims that Amazon is confusing and misleading customers by using the name App Store. It also suggested that Amazon was "unlawfully" using the trademark to "solicit software developers", which indicates that it might be losing developers to Amazon.
The trademarked term was approved by the US Patent and Trademark Office, but Microsoft has opposed it and asked for a re-examination, which could quash Apple's court case if the trademark approval is reversed.
The complaint was filed in US District Court on 18 March in California, the home of the fruit themed company. µ
Tags: Apple
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just call it AMAppZON.com
Given that both "app" and "store" are standard terms to the general public I really doubt that trademark is gonna stand. It's kinda like if someone tried to trademark "Anti-virus", "Operating System", "Kernel Module", "Wireless Internet", etc......... It's also worth pointing out that given the iOS app store works entirely through iTunes technically "app store" isn't even an accurate trademark so Apple should stop being a little bitch or at the very least change it to "iTunes app store".
Do some research lol. A wikipedia page might be a good start :-)
M$FT has a registered trademark for their poor excuse of a desktop operating system. It is "Microsoft(R) Windows(TM)", not just "Windows", "MS Office" instead of "Office", "MS Word" instead of "Word", etc. Same with Google - they have a trademark "Google(R) Android(TM)", "Google Earth", etc.
Now, were crapple to register "Apple App Store", or, as some might prefer, "aPple aPp sTore", then they would not have that trademark to sue Amazon about, because Amazon could register "Amazon App Store" and everyone is in the clear, and plays nice with everybody else. But it appears that Mr. Jobs has more money than sense of what to do with it, especially since it's not even his, so it's OK to spend the Ipad windfall on lawyers, instead of fixing up their Iphone4 antennae issues and overheating MBPs.
A two word combination with 2 common words should simply not be allowed to be trademarked. So I might not care about MS Windows, but MS are right in this trademark spat.
The company that trademarked "Windows" (and tried to sue a guy call mike rowe) complains about someone trademarking the term "Appstore"...
Microsoft and I actually agree about something for once.
Truly, the End Times are upon us.
Trademarking "App Store" is ridiculous. I, and many others, have been using "App" as a shortening of "Application" long before the iPhone was a twinkle in Steve Jobs' eye (maybe I should sue Apple). And "Store" means, surprisingly, "Store".
P.S. The only problem I have with "maker of shiny toys" is it forms the rather ironic acronym "MOST".
i agree, some of them have matt finishes.
Just a suggestion. If you want the world to take you seriously as a journalist (perhaps you don't?), try not starting every article about Apple with "Maker of shiny toys Apple". It makes you sound about 12. I stopped reading at that point. Who know if you had something interesting to tell me?