Apple Not Happy with Amazon’s Use of the “App Store” Trademark
Amazon just launched their apps marketplace for Android under the name Appstore, and if you thought Apple was going to let that one fly you are sorely mistaken. If Amazon though condensing the title into one word and eliminating the capital ‘S’ would save them from cries of unfair competition from the Apple camp, they were also sorely mistaken. The iPhone maker and arguable source of the whole apps phenomenon has already filed a complaint in federal court accusing Amazon of trademark infringement and improper use of the “App Store” trademark.
Things get a bit trickier, though. While Apple was granted the App Store trademark, Microsoft has challenged the registration and the whole matter is currently set to go before the trademark appeal board. This matter will be central in Amazon’s defense. The court documents cite Apple’s attempt to contact Amazon and seek the abandoning of the App Store name on at least three occasions, but Amazon did not respond to their requests. The online retail giant denied comment on the pending case.
[via Bloomberg]