Ive loses domain name

Apple's lead product designer, Jonathan Ive, has lost a bid to reclaim several web addresses using his name, Bloomberg writes. Ive recently registered a complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organization, charging that he should be the proper owner of domain names including jonathanive.com and some of its related spellings. The domains are currently owned by Harry Jones of London, England, who operates a fansite dedicated to Ive's work.

In its ruling on the dispute, the WIPO notes Ive's name is not used in any commercial fashion, and therefore not a basis for challenge. "The evidence provided indicates that the complainant (and Apple Inc.) do not promote the complainant’s name as a brand or trademark, and therefore do not use it in trade or commerce," according to WIPO evaluator John Swinson.

Apple is reported to have approached Jones about the domains in the past, at one time offering him $10,000 despite a prior demand of $400,000. Jones' website describes the latter figure as a means of discouraging intense pressure from Apple; in response to WIPO inquiries however, he has claimed to make "significant revenue" from advertising, thereby warranting a higher valuation. Jones separately suggests that when Apple initially approached him in February of 2008, they were only willing to trade an iPod or a MacBook.

by MacNN Staff