Apple Sues Amazon Over App Store Trademark Infringement

bloomberg.com:

Apple Inc. (AAPL) sued Amazon.com Inc., saying the online retailer is using Apple’s “App Store” trademark for a mobile-software developer program.

Apple, in a complaint filed March 18 in federal court in northern California, accused Amazon.com of trademark infringement and unfair competition and asked for a judge’s order to prevent the company from using the “App Store” name, as well as for unspecified damages.

Read the whole story: bloomberg.com

Comments

[MTGradwell]

05:15 PM on 03/22/2011

No problem! If Amazon can't call the place where they sell apps an app store, because that term is trademarked by Apple, then they can just call it the app ... er, ... uh, ... er, ... just give me a minute here folks, I'm sure I'll think of something ... er, ... uh, ...

Oh hang on, there's a thesaurus here so I don't have to actually think. App Shop! Yes, that's it, App Shop! Now I just have to get on the phone to my lawyer and make sure he's patented "App Shop" on my behalf before I click on the "Post Comment" button.

Oh, fudge! Huffpost, can you delete this comment? I wasn't ready to post - I hit the button by accident. Please? I'll let you have 50% of the take! ;-)

[maatpublish]

02:14 PM on 03/22/2011

Apple is mad because in spite of its success, Amazon is dominating in eBooks, and in some areas, it is out-selling iTunes itself on music downloads. Amazon offers more freebies on its MP3 store. This is about marketshare, and Apple does not want to ever have to share anything it doesn't get a nice, healthy first slice of.

[Sea pop]

12:15 PM on 03/22/2011

Apple tried trademarking "App Store" earlier this year but was denied. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/01/apple-app-store-trademark_n_829978.html

[Artamentous]

11:20 AM on 03/22/2011

How can you trade mark such a generic term? My guess is you can't, and Apple will fail.