Canadian iPhone ruling may not occur for months
updated 09:30 am EDT, Thu April 17, 2008
Canadian iPhone delay
It may be months or even years before Canadians can finally buy a domestic iPhone, the government now says. The major obstacle is the Toronto VoIP company Comwave, which has already used the term "iPhone;" Apple has had to contest the issue through the Canadian Intellectual Property Office, and an initial examiner's report was expected for June 26th. According to a CIPO spokeswoman however, the June date is only a deadline by which Apple and Comwave have to reply to an earlier notification, and either company could ask for an extension that would delay a resolution by four months.
The spokeswoman also notes that technically, the June deadline only relates to putting Apple and Comwave's trademark applications aside, while the primary conflict is discussed separately. Canadian trademark conflicts can in fact take as long as two years to be resolved, so any release of the iPhone prior to that point may likely involve a private settlement.
bullshit
04/17, 09:56am reply
if this really prevents us from getting the iphone, I'll be mighty pissed. They've gotta be able to find an answer to this!
Propofol
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2002
Rename it & be done...
04/17, 11:03am reply
...lest the lawyers make all the blood money...
bobolicious
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2002
questionable actions
04/17, 11:28am reply
I question why Comwave would choose the name "iPhone" for their VOIP product? The company would of been aware that Apple has been naming several of their products with the "i" in front of the name (ie: iTunes, iPod, etc) for a long time. Keep in mind that it was also rumored that Apple was working on a cellphone so why take the chance by naming their product iPhone. It seems like they were hoping that Apple would just bend over by giving in to their demands to have Apple buy the trademark with out fighting for it.
imagine engine
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2007
and that...
04/17, 12:01pm reply
...is why Apple won't roll over. Just like they didn't for Cisco, and if Cisco finally rolled over, so will Comwave.
I'd suggest that everyone in Canada boycott Comwave's business.
ZinkDifferent
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2005
comwave who?
04/17, 12:39pm reply
my point exactly...
legacyb4
Mac Elite
Joined: May 2001
iPhones in Canada already
04/17, 02:02pm reply
There are TONS of unlocked iPhones in Canada I see them daily... at this point I don't really care if the iPhone comes to Rogers Wireless... because they'll s**** up the data plan anyways. Besides the Rogers Wireless networks is unreliable, SMS's don't arrive on time sometimes they are hours late.
bleee
Mac Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2002
Apple...
04/17, 02:52pm reply
renamed iTV to (Apple Symbol) TV http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/12/hands-on-with-the-apple-itv-prototype/ , so why not rename iPhone to (apple Symbol) TV and start the new name lauch with the new 3G ApplePhone in Canada...
MeandmyMac
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Feb 2008
go comwave
04/18, 02:22am reply
why defend apple here? i want an iphone quite badly but at what cost? another small company rolling over for a large company? in fact another large american company? don't we see too much of this in canada already? rolling over for the big american suits?
i am glad that a small company has done something that used the 'i' that apple seem to swear is theres which it is not.
no matter the wait, bloody apple can sit on a tack if they brush off another firm - i am glad the government is upholding this one.
shigzeo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Mar 2008
down with comwave
04/18, 04:20am reply
I have been boycotting them for years just because of their obnoxious, abrasive commercials.
They're not a little guy being trampled by Apple. They're a dubious company to put it politely.
I hope Apple just settles with them so we never have to think about them ever again.
goldenhorse
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jul 2006