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Judge and Apple don’t see eye to eye on ‘App Store’ trademark

By: , IntoMobile
Friday, June 24th, 2011 at 11:45 AM
jobs-app-store

Apple has been hoping to trademark the term “App Store” since launching the iTunes App Store in the summer of 2008. Other companies, like Amazon and Microsoft, have said that it’s a bit silly to try to trademark such a broad term, and that Apple shouldn’t have the rights to the it. A U.S. district judge is inclined to agree with everyone else but Apple.

Judge Phyillis Hamilton has said that she may reject Apple’s request to own the rights to the term “app store” – a term that Amazon says is too broad and generic for one entity to own. Amazon, like Microsoft and Google, have their very own app stores wherein they sell mobile applications, including games, social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter and helpful utilities.

Apple decided to go after Amazon for infringing on its “App Store” trademark, but it doesn’t look like things will lean in favor of Apple this time.

TG Daily reports:

But Amazon’s argument is essentially that such a claim is like saying someone can own the exclusive rights to “electronics store” or “clothing store.”

I’m inclined to agree, and since Apple’s app store has dominated the smartphone market over the past few years, losing exclusive rights to the phrase won’t likely hurt its bottom line. I think Apple should let this one go, though we all know that it just isn’t the iPhone maker’s style.

[Via: TG Daily]

About The Author

Marc Flores

Marc has been a mobile fanatic for the better part of a decade and has had more devices pass through his hands than he would care to count. Originally from Los Angeles and briefly in San Francisco, Marc now lives in Brooklyn where, unlike Will Park, he longs for simpler times and simpler technology. All the while, he writes about gadgets and wireless technology as he tinkers, hacks and ultimately breaks most of his gadgets in the process. Marc has written about the mobile industry for Boy Genius Report, MobileCrunch, Laptop Magazine and has had his work appear in the Wall Street Journal, Gizmodo, CrunchGear and more.

  • Dogfishy27

    That’s why there’s appeals

  • Motoxer

    I bet the judge has an Android phone he he =)

  • http://twitter.com/WillieFDiazSF William Diaz ?

    App Store is too generic a term, like “post it” or “Windex” is now a generic term to mean any sticky note pad, or window/glass cleaner. If it was iOS App Store or Apple App Store or APPle Store that might be different. Google doesnt have this issue since its “Android Market” BlackBerry is “App World”