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In an earlier post, I compared Google’s decision to rebrand Android Market to Google Play as similar to Netflix’s “Qwikster” mistake. And the similarities extend a little more, with Google fighting to obtain the googleplay.com domain name after having announced (an executed) the rebranding. (Netflix faced the issue of Qwikster’s Twitter username).
While Google only applied for the trademark for Play a day before the announcement, the issue of obtaining the domain should be pretty straightforward, since it contains an already trademarked term (i.e., Google).
ICANN’s guidelines for such circumstances state a request will be approved if:
(1) the domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark in which the complainant has rights
(2) the owner has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name and;
(3) the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.
[via TheNextWeb]
Im pretty sure Google will find understanding regarding googleplay.com to get it
Isn’t droid a registered trademark of Verizon and or Motorola? They could just come seize that name anyway for using “droid.”
No. DROID is a registered trademark of Lucas Arts from Star Wars. Can’t say George Lucas isn’t stupid….but he does need to know when to stop changing things…
You seem very judgmental regarding the rebranding, Phandroid journalist, but I must say that I like it. Yes, it does seem a little odd at first, but it’s already grown on me.
Google needs this rebranding in order to build a reputation as (eventually) a formidable opponent to the iTunes cloud. This rebranding was necessary, and even though many might think it sounds weird now, I think 6 months from now people will not only be okay with it, but like it.
I can tell that Google has put a lot of thought into this change. They understand that it’s a big, albeit functionally minor, change. They have not made the same mistake as Neflix. You’ll come around.
Keep in mind that a huge portion of the World still doesn’t have access to Movies, Music or Books. So for us, this is quite simply a name change from Android Market to Google Play.
I can understand the reasoning behind it when compared to iTunes, but Android Market itself has had some fabulous branding done already all over the World. Even people who don’t really give much of a hoot look at Android Market as the de facto app store for Android. It easily puts to shade the opponents like Amazon or GetJar. It also has an easier understanding for a new user.
We’re in a special place: we follow the tech news and it’s been easy for us to get used to it. I am, too. But as we saw with Chris’s article yesterday, there were people who thought they had deleted the Android Market app with the name change.Down the line, yes things will sort out for themselves, but I personally wouldn’t have changed it. Or at least kept Android Market as a subset of Google Play, so where it says “Shop Android Apps” it says “Android Market”.
And when google merges their games next year? Google+ games,chrone ganes and android games? What would you call the section then? Still ANDROID market? Won’t renaming it then cause the same or even worse problems then it is causing now?
OK let’s put it this way. This name doesn’t exactly instill confidence for IT/enterprise app developers.
These “laws” are bullshit. I would burn google down if this domain was pulled from me.
On what grounds? If anything they should be coming after you for infringing on their trademarked name.
So anything with google in the name should better not be owned? But when “to google” is added to the dictionary as perform an internet search lawyers fear and force dictionaries to add “…with Google” for not losing any trademark rights.
Honestly if I owned the domain, why would I have to give it up to a company that registered 1 day before they branded their lineup with it? I could argue that they, being an internet firm, should have done better research to what was available and buy domains before registering the trademark like every other company.
oh that’s just wrong….
I had GalaxyNexus.com and Google just grabbed it from me…though I made BANK on ads lol
Should of been Google Market…With Google Read/Play/Apps etc… Under that umbrella…
Eh. Since alot of people just use these domains as placeholders in the hopes of scoring a big payday I think Google should get the rights to it. If it was being used as a legit Site I would say that they should payout. Problem is dude is using it as an ad holder. No problem with using as an ad holder but we all know he’s using Googles name to profit from. It may count as being used in bad faith.