Monday, August 13,2007 @ 10:15am
iPhone faces European trademark issues
One of the reasons no European plans have been announced for the iPhone is because of trademark issues, say anonymous sources. While Cisco settled its worldwide dispute with Apple in February, there are two Spanish companies which have may cause for dispute: AudioDescripciones has registered the name "IPH IPhone," while Catalan De Telecomunicacions Societat Operadora De Xarxes has "Al-Pi Iphone." In the United Kingdom, the VoIP company ICX Europe has applied for the name as well.
Apple originally filed for an "IPHONE" trademark in 2002, but is now said to be filing five new trademark claims in the UK, one of them through a shell company called Ocean Telecom, which is connected via the same lawfirm. The applications also extend well beyond the realm of phones, covering items such as "vehicles," "paints, varnishes, lacquers," and "audio cassette recorders and players." Although Apple is said to be expecting impending resistance, it is also rumored that it still anticipates releasing the iPhone to Europe in October.