Apple este o companie care isi protejeaza agresiv brevetele de inventie si marcile inregistrate iar un producator de accesorii din Noua Zeelanda simte pe propria piele efectele unui conflict cu Apple. Producatorul neozeelandez a conceput o carcasa numita driPhone care protejeaza un smartphone atunci cand este folosit in piscina, in mare, etc. Carcasa in sine nu incalca vreun brevet de marca inregistrata a companiei Apple insa numele driPhone este considerat de catre Apple a fi mult prea apropiat de brandul iPhone si ar genera confuzie in cadrul consumatorilor.
Apple told Mr Crowther, through Wellington-based patent and trademark attorney firm Henry Hughes last week, that it was opposing his driPhone trademark in New Zealand. But Mr Crowther thought there was “little weight” to Apple’s opposition. “The trademark and patent attorney said Apple was doing it to preserve its position.” Apple claimed in the notice that the driPhone name “would be likely to deceive or cause confusion” and was “contrary to New Zealand law”. It also objected because “the applicant’s trademark, or an essential element of it, is identical or similar to a trademark that is well-known in New Zealand [iPhone]”.
Compania Hamilton, producatoare a carcasei driPhone, incearca sa inregistreze denumirea ca marca in Noua Zeelanda iar Apple se opune acestei inregistrari sustinand ca denumirea este mult prea similara cu cea a marcii iPhone care este inregistrata in respectiva tara. Privind lucrurile din afara cererea celor de la Apple este justa deoarece denumirea driPhone contine doar o foarte mica diferenta fata de marca detinuta de Apple insa vorbim despre produse din categorii diferite. Apple le-a propus celor de la Hamilton sa modifice denumirea din driPhone in dryPhone insa compania a refuzat motivand ca noul nume ar ocupa prea mult spatiu pe carcasa si lupta impotriva companiei Apple nu ar fi la fel de costisitoare precum schimbarea denumirii.
Cum se va rezolva situatia vom afla peste cateva saptamani/luni insa eu unul nu cred ca denumirea driPhone ar putea fi inregistrata cu opozitia celor de la Apple.
