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iCloud vs iCloud: Trademark dispute breaks out over 'iCloud' branding
Looks like Apple's plans for iCloud has just gotten off to a rocky start: apparently, the Cupertino company did not realize that there is an actual company by the name of iCloud Communications before deciding to give its cloud-based services the typical "i" treatment. And to further complicate matters, iCloud Communications is contesting that Apple's iCloud offerings are closely related to what it has been offering customers since its inception in 2005. Looks like Apple will have quite a fair bit of explaning to do before the courts on this one.
Well, it seems like Apple is back at the courts once again, although this particular instance appears to be a little different from the norm. While Apple has often made headlines for filing lawsuits against companies which it claims has infringed on its copyrights, patents or trademarks, it seems that the Cupertino company is now on the receiving end of a lawsuit for a change, and this particular suit is centered around an alleged trademark dispute over the iCloud branding Apple has used for its new cloud services.
Apparently, when Apple was busy choosing a name to describe its new cloud services that would later be announced as iCloud at the recently-concluded WWDC, it failed to take into account that there already existed a company which bears the same name. And to further complicate matters, the company, which is known as iCloud Communications, claims that Apple's new online cloud services are closely related, or in certain areas, even identical to what it has been offering its customers since its inception in 2005. In the complaint filed by iCloud Communications, the company alleges that consumers are starting to associate the term "iCloud" with Apple's services and not its own as a result of Apple's recent announcement, and is seeking both monetary relief, as well as a court order for Apple to cease using the "iCloud" branding in any of its businesses or services.
And if that was not enough, iCloud Communication's legal team apparently saw it fit to include information about how Apple had a history of "knowingly and willfully treading on the trademark rights" of other companies by describing the Cupertino company's legal tussles with the likes of Apple Corp, McIntosh Labs, Terrytoon, Cisco, Fujitsu and Innovate Media Group over various well-known trademarks such as the Macintosh, Mighty Mouse, iPhone and iPad. Looks like Apple's legal team is going to be quite busy in the coming months.
Hit up the Scribd link below to view the full complaint (all 16 pages of them) Cloud Communications has filed against Apple.
Source: Scribd via The Next Web
