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GetJar to Apple: Steve Jobs Isn’t Our Dad, We’ll Continue to Use “App Store” in Our Name, kthxbai

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Amazon isn’t the only company standing up to the bullying of Apple in courts regarding the use of the phrase “App Store” to describe their application store for mobile devices. GetJar also uses “App Store” to describe their service and are one of many companies, big and small, to be attacked by the big, bad, rotten fruit. I simply can’t do the full quote justice so here is an except from their blog posting:

“…GetJar won’t be subject to this kind of bullying.  We’re not going to “Cease & Desist”.  We were here long before Steve & Co.  We were built by developers, to help developers.  Not to help sell handsets or search results. In the words of Twisted SisterWe’re not going to take it! Steve Jobs isn’t our Dad.”

As unpopular as they may be compared to the Amazon App Store or the horse’s mouth (the Android market), they are right. They have been here longer. But I’m going to guess that that means nothing in the face of a patent lawsuit when GetJar clearly didn’t begin using the phrase until recent years.

The timing of this statement is also odd. Amazon has already gotten the legal ball against Apple rolling. While that case isn’t over, Amazon has gained a temporary victory as the courts have not granted Apple’s request to have others using the phrase “App Store” and variations of it banned. It’s only temporary because the next hearing regarding this matter won’t be held until October 2012.

It seems like GetJar was just laying in the wait, delaying their stance until Amazon, a corporation who I assume has more clout and a bigger, more expensive legal team, did the dirty work for everyone else. That’s not to take anything away from GetJar, though – it’s still quite ballsy. Go get ’em, GetJar! [Thanks, Fayez!]

Quentyn Kennemer
The "Google Phone" sounded too awesome to pass up, so I bought a G1. The rest is history. And yes, I know my name isn't Wilson.

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20 Comments

  1. Good for them.

    Go ahead GETJAR, Steve isnt our dad!

  2. Excellent! Maybe Apple should change the name of their store to “Fruit Stand” and try protecting that instead.

  3. Reminds me in a way of General McAuliffe’s response to the German call to surrender at Bastogne; “Nuts”. Hopefully the outcome will be the same.

    1. Way to use history! Who doesn’t love to combine current tech and trademark law with a history lesson. Relevant? I say YES.
      Seriously, I went out and read about the battle immediately. +1

    2. Captain Avatar said it better: “Idiots!” :D (Star Blazers, US version, Ep1)

  4. What has this got to do with Android ????????????

    1. I guess you aren’t familiar with GetJar, it’s another app store for Android.

    2. You must not have gotten the Cut the Rope exclusive from GetJar.

  5. No balls… you wait until a judge throws the lawsuit out to take a stand… 2nd class getjar….. 2nd class.

    1. Actually, that isn’t what happened. GetJar didn’t wait around until Amazon fought back; they simply didn’t do anything until Apple sent them a C&D (probably because they were having a tantrum because the case with Amazon isn’t even going to be heard for well over a year, and from what I understand, they’re probably going to lose). The lawsuit wasn’t thrown out – just delayed until October 2012.

  6. I love using GetJar, but usually only go there for the banned apps. I’ve been using them for years to get apps for my Blackberry and old Nokia phones.

  7. Yes stand up to apple ha. Good to see these companies stand up for themselves and not let these big companies push them around.

  8. The whole frivilous lawsuit thing has gotten so far out of control it’s pathetic. Nobody is going to mistake Apples Appstore with Amazons, Googles or anyone elses. The Surpreme Court needs to put a stop to all these needless lawsuits before they even start. Really sad.
    Its the consumer who ends up paying for this BS through higher prices.

  9. #Corrections this is a trademark lawsuit, not a patent one. You can’t patent words. You can trademark’em.

  10. That statement by GetJar borders on heresy! How dare they!

    Have they no respect? Have they no fear of a mob of millions of zombie hordes marching in lockstep, chanting about the most holy trademarks and demanding justice?

  11. First of all, this isn’t patent law. It’s trademark law. Until a judge tells Apple that the term “App Store” or any variant thereof is not eligible for trademark, they have to enforce the trademark they have. Otherwise, it would be irrelevant whether the term can be trademarked. They could equally lose the trademark by not showing that they defend it.

  12. Kudos to GetJar. It’s a ridiculous, insulting and bullying claim that Apple is making.

  13. Apple and Microsoft are such bullies. I cant see how the keep getting away with it.

    1. MS has nothing to do with this.

  14. This is a stupid as one company trying to sue all others for being an “electronics store” or “computer store”.

    Maybe BP will sue everyone for using “gas station” next.

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