iPhone trademark battle in Brazil
Friday, February 15, 2013 - 12:39:39
Apple is known for its aggressively litigious approach to protecting its intellectual property, although it also has to go on the defensive in legal bouts across the world, with varying degrees of success.
Now it seems that the iPhone might have problems in Brazil, as a local Android smartphone manufacturer has won a court battle, to secure the right to use this internationally known moniker within its country of origin.
BBC News reports that Gradient Electronica first trademarked the iPhone name in 2000, which is well before Apple's own device launched and even predates the iPod from which this well known name scheme was derived.
Apple attempted to counter the claims to the iPhone name by pointing out that Gradient Electronica had not even used it until last year, although its protestations clearly were not enough to convince the Brazilian courts.
The non-Apple iPhone which is on sale in Brazil is not in the same league as its American rival, since it is equipped with a single core 700MHz processor, a low res 3.7 inch display and a three year old iteration of Android.
Although Apple cannot currently sell iPhone handsets in Brazil as a result of this ruling, it does retain the right to use the brand on a variety of other products.
In addition the people behind the Brazilian iPhone seem rather eager to hash out a deal with Apple, presumably allowing the Californian company to sell the iPhone, as long as it pays a licensing fee for the trademark.
So far, Apple has remained silent on the iPhone debacle in Brazil, but this is such a valuable brand, to remove it from a fast developing market would be a mistake that could cost the company dearly a little further down the line.
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