In what is probably the pettiest and most ridiculous bit of shenanigans of today (because we all know Apple and others are guilty of daily shenanigans) Apple is taking offense at Amazon.com using “Appstore” instead of “App Store” to define their… well… Android app store. News is coming out of Bloomberg Businessweek that Apple is aggressively pursuing Amazon on this matter.
It’s important to note that Apple is currently embroiled in a fight with Microsoft over the same issue. It’s Microsoft’s stand that the term Appstore is far too generic to be trademarked. I’m inclined to agree with Microsoft on this. In the complaint filed on March 18 in California, Apple states, “Amazon has begun improperly using Apple’s App Store mark in connection with Amazon’s mobile software developer program. Amazon has unlawfully used the App Store mark to solicit software developers throughout the United States,”
Meanwhile, the Microsoft appeal of the registration of that trademark to Apple will be the subject of proceedings before a trademark appeal board and since this ridiculously generic term is unlikely to hold, this suit may be moot but sufficient to throw a hurdle in Amazon’s path. Can’t we all just get along?
Source: Bloomberg BusinessWeek
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