Amazon Sued By Apple Over Appstore Name

[engine]

Amazon Sued By Apple Over Appstore Name [bbc.co.uk]

Apple is suing Amazon in a bid to stop the online retail giant from using the name Appstore.

The California-based firm, which makes iPhones and iPads, claims that the name is deliberately similar to its own App Store.

"It will confuse and mislead customers," said Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet.

Amazon's Appstore will offer downloadable applications for Google's Android operating system.

The lawsuit states: "Amazon has begun improperly using Apple's App Store mark in connection with Amazon's mobile software developer program.

[Leosghost]

I'm going to get popcorn and watch this fight roll out ;-)

[moheybee]

They are suing Amazon because it's the first app store they perceive as a threat.

[Strapworks]

How about they sue over the use of the name "store". This is just a sue happy nation, very sad.
I really do hope the judge laughs at them and throws it out. Its sad that Amazon will lose money defending this frivolous lawsuit. They should counter-sue for fees.

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

Donate the money to Japan or lend it to Obama to buy a few more 550k tomahawk missles for him to waste or something, anything but a frivolous lawsuit. I'm not confused by the name App Store nor do I think anyone would be, unless they think app is short for apples or something.

[atadams]

If Amazon can patent one-click shopping I guess Apple can trademark "App Store."

[weeks]

If Amazon can patent one-click shopping I guess Apple can trademark "App Store."

Love it. EXACTLY! Go Apple! If it were anyone else other than Amazon (which I use and appreciate, BTW), I'd agree in saying that this is annoying. But, if I were to be the lawyer for Apple, I'd stand before the judge, quote atadams, and sit down.

[LifeinAsia]

But, if I were to be the lawyer for Apple, I'd stand before the judge, quote atadams, and sit down.

And the judge would probably admonish you for being a high-priced lawyer and not even knowing the difference between a patent and a trademark. ;)

And to split hairs, according to Apple's own site, "App Store" is a service mark, not a trademark.

That said, Amazon's naming of the store probably wasn't its smartest move.

[BillyS]

Apparently companies own all the words used in the English language.

[IanKelley]

To me this is a lot like someone who sells produce by the highway under a sign that says Fruit Stand trying to enforce a trade mark against a produce stand down the street called FruitStand.

Even if it was called exactly the same thing it would be kind of funny, and legally debatable. App was an established shortening of application long before Apple had an App Store... and stores, well those existed too, and people sold apps in them.

As it is App Store and Appstore are more than different enough to be considered distinct. Or am I missing some legal point here?

Did they file this suit in France? :-)

[Leosghost]

Did they file this suit in France? :-)

Non..;-)

[TheMadScientist]

Or am I missing some legal point here?

Like they have to sue to protect the mark or they completely lose the rights to it?

BTW: Did anyone else check to see where appstore.com redirects to?
IMO Apple wins hands down...

[TheMadScientist]

It's even registered: http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4007:lorcdh.2.1 [tess2.uspto.gov]

[SEOPTI]

Amazon sells fur, I don't trust them.

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

I hope the judge gives the world a spelling lesson and bans the abbreviation "app" altogether forcing everyone to use "application" or nothing at all. The word is, well it's not a word is it, but it is SO overdone nowadays.


I mea wh bothe finis any wor ?

[loner]

They should of ran with Appli eStore

[RhinoFish]

this is applicrazy.

[Leosghost]

or insert any applicable word here

[TheMadScientist]

how so appropo...

[engine]

Reminds me we should have a Friday word game again.

[Ghostexmachina]

Teaching your kids...

Groceries are bought at the grocery store.
Drugs are bought at the drug store.
Videos are hired from the video store.
Hardware is bought from the hardware store.

Apps are bought at the ...

Oh you can't say that.

[Future]

Battle between Giants..
Apple wont win here. (though i love all there products)

[tangor]

I can hear the judge now "Sorry, folks, this hog-wallow is inAPPlicable."

[webminion]

The Amazon appstore was said to have only 3800 apps in store. This seems to be a small number, considering that you can find, using any files search engine like [findfiles.net ] , a few thousand free Android apps for downloading in the net.