Apple seeks trademark on "OS X" without the "Mac"

Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Seemingly cementing a move first hinted at during the World Wide Developers Conference, Apple has filed for a trademark for its OS X operating system but without the "Mac" prefix that has accompanied the name since its inception.



The Cupertino-based company initially filed for its trademark in Trinidad and Tobago less than a week after the June 2008 conference, where lobby banners first indicated a split where Apple would distinguish between OS X Leopard, the version of its operating system for traditional computers, and OS X iPhone, the modified platform that supports both its namesake cellphone and the iPod touch.



The software label also passed through a southeast Asian trademark office in November, but as of this writing remains under review.



Apple's reasons for trademarking at this stage aren't entirely clear, though the most conspicuous is its current product strategy: as many of its devices are running some variant of the FreeBSD-based software but operating well outside the bounds of ordinary Macs, the company may be under some self-imposed pressure to rebrand its flagship software in a way that allows it to enforce its trademarks without tying itself to a particular software revision or product line.



A formality in trademark would also mirror steps to rebrand the company itself that were first reveled when chief executive Steve Jobs took to the stage to introduce the original iPhone in January 2007. With the Apple TV in the living room and the iPhone in people's pockets, the executive argued that it was time for the company to alter its name and drop the "Computer" badge to become Apple Inc., reflecting its new general technology focus.



An image accompanying the filings.



Still, the potential trademark change represents a formal break from tradition for a company that, in 1999, deliberately kept the "Mac OS" badge for its radically altered operating system to maintain familiarity -- a move the company may no longer feel is necessary today.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 56
    trip1extrip1ex Posts: 109member
    What? No conspiracy theory that says Apple is going to sell OS/X to OEMs?
  • Reply 2 of 56
    bsenkabsenka Posts: 799member
    OS X should have been a separate name from the Mac from the start. It's a completely different OS.
  • Reply 3 of 56
    panupanu Posts: 135member
    "OS X" is in common use without "Mac" in front, so it is wise to protect it as a separate trademark. It doesn't necessarily imply anything else.
  • Reply 4 of 56
    Could this mean OS X is coming to other Computer makers out there ? Cause that would be awesome..



    Adi
  • Reply 5 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by adisor19 View Post


    Could this mean OS X is coming to other Computer makers out there ? Cause that would be awesome..



    Adi



    Not trying to start a debate, but simply put, that would completely tarnish the Apple brand. It would be devastating to the company. Apple's been down that road in the past and nearly died.
  • Reply 6 of 56
    Quote:

    Could this mean OS X is coming to other Computer makers out there ? Cause that would be awesome..



    No way, Apple did it before and it make matters worse.
  • Reply 7 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DeaPeaJay View Post


    Not trying to start a debate, but simply put, that would completely tarnish the Apple brand. It would be devastating to the company. Apple's been down that road in the past and nearly died.



    With every twist and turn that Apple makes, no matter how it affects its users:



    "There is no way they'd do that! Oh, they just did."
  • Reply 8 of 56
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    What's in a name anyway? I couldn't care if the OS is called OS Poop, it's what it does, how reliable it is, and how slick the hard is is all care about.
  • Reply 9 of 56
    robb01robb01 Posts: 148member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    What's in a name anyway? I couldn't care if the OS is called OS Poop, it's what it does, how reliable it is, and how slick the hard is is all care about.



    same here, call it whatever u like, just make sure it works damn good



    __________

  • Reply 10 of 56
    davidwdavidw Posts: 2,036member
    I thought the reason why apple never trademarked "OS X" before was because it was already taken. Therefore they had to trademark "Mac OS X". Maybe the original "OS X" trademark expired (lapsed) or Apple bought it out.
  • Reply 11 of 56
    djintxdjintx Posts: 454member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    What's in a name anyway? I couldn't care if the OS is called OS Poop, it's what it does, how reliable it is, and how slick the hard is is all care about.



    If they rebrand it OS Poop, I may just be out the door. Or maybe I'll just have to use the hacked version available online after the Dev Team finds a way to turn references of "Poop" into something better like "Goop" or "Floop" or "Zoop"... that sounds kinda cool.
  • Reply 12 of 56
    iq78iq78 Posts: 256member
    It's pretty simple. OS X is being put on devices other than Macs, so they want to have a name that can work across devices. iPhones, iPods, Apple TV, Macs, and any future device.



    Apple should do this even if they are never considering an OS X OEM.



    -Mark
  • Reply 13 of 56
    gxcadgxcad Posts: 120member
    This is clearly because they have begun to use the OS in their non-macintosh products, such as their iPhones and their iPods, and possibly in Apple TV? (sorry, not sure on that one). Same thing they did with their company name from Apple Computer to just Apple. They are generalizing the names as they start expanding.
  • Reply 14 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    With the Apple TV in the living room and the iPhone in people's pockets, the executive argued that it was time for the company to alter its name and drop the "Computer" badge to become Apple Inc., reflecting its new general technology focus.



    Or a new focus on a heathy diet.



    If I am the only one who found that funny, my apologies, moving on.
  • Reply 15 of 56
    vandilvandil Posts: 187member
    They should go back to calling "System <version number>".



    For example, System X.5.6.



    Just kidding.



    I don't think this opens up the door for selling OEM copies of OSX for Hackintoshes, but it certainly means that any device from Apple running a flavor of OSX can now be united into one lawsuit should people reverse engineer things i.e. developing alternative OSes/firmware for iPods, Apple TVs, Airport base stations, etc.
  • Reply 16 of 56
    THE SKY IS FALLING!!! APPLE IS ABANDONING THE MAC!!!



    ( Someone had to say it )



    -Clive
  • Reply 17 of 56
    What no rampant speculation about Dell OS X or HP OS X or MS OS X. The fansboys must be in a state of shock about SJ. Best wishes to him by the way. He's the gold standard for corporate leadership and America needs that type of leadership everywhere, now more than ever.
  • Reply 18 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bsenka View Post


    OS X should have been a separate name from the Mac from the start. It's a completely different OS.



    Actually no it isn't. OS 9 was completely different from OS X, but OS X and MacOSX (however you want to actually write it) IS the same.



    I get why they want to change things up, highlight they aren't just about computers. but I don't think they can pull off this change at least here in the US. OS X is too vague. It's like Kleenex trying to trademark 'tissue'. there are too many types of tissue. 'facial tissue' perhaps would work.



    any company out there that makes a computer software for core functionality has used the phrase 'operating system' for years. To try now to trademark that isn't going to work. You can't trademark a popular phrase used by several parties this late in the game. and any operating system could have ten versions and the roman numeral X is a common shortcut. we already have an OS/X as I recall.



    I just don't see it working and Apple will be stuck with MacOS and iPhoneOS for the coming years.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by adisor19 View Post


    Could this mean OS X is coming to other Computer makers out there ? Cause that would be awesome..



    Adi



    not at all. Until the courts demand that they can't tie hardware and software because their market share in the personal computer market has grown so big that now it's a monopoly violation, Apple will NOT stop tying. They tried it once and it was a bigger failure than kicking out Steve Jobs.



    All it might indicate is that they are considering calling an upcoming line of computers something other than Mac/Macintosh and that's a slim conclusion at best.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gxcad View Post


    This is clearly because they have begun to use the OS in their non-macintosh products, such as their iPhones and their iPods, and possibly in Apple TV



    so they trademark iPhoneOS, iPodOS. should be pretty easy since I"m sure they trademarked the terms iPhone and iPod already.



    and it makes since. the iPhoneOS is not the same as the MacOS even if based on the same core. because they are two different devices. Even my granny who still uses an 8 track understands that idea.



    if anything, the only reason they are doing this is because folks in the general public are saying "OS X" (although half of them wrongly as OS X and not OS Ten) and they are trying to avoid a 'kleenex' sitch. But Kleenex was specific, OS X is not.
  • Reply 19 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by charlituna View Post


    ... I get why they want to change things up, highlight they aren't just about computers. but I don't think they can pull off this change at least here in the US. OS X is too vague. It's like Kleenex trying to trademark 'tissue'. there are too many types of tissue. 'facial tissue' perhaps would work.



    any company out there that makes a computer software for core functionality has used the phrase 'operating system' for years. To try now to trademark that isn't going to work. You can't trademark a popular phrase used by several parties this late in the game. and any operating system could have ten versions and the roman numeral X is a common shortcut. we already have an OS/X as I recall.



    I just don't see it working and Apple will be stuck with MacOS and iPhoneOS for the coming years. ...



    I think you are wrong on this part. Trademark protection doesn't impinge on the meaning of the mark AFAIK. It's the registration of a symbol. Something can be a trademark that has no writing on it at all for instance.



    I'm pretty sure that you are confabulating copyright and trademark law here and whether the OS in "OS-X" means "operating system" is immaterial. If it's been around long enough, and is the dominant use, I think it might pass.
  • Reply 20 of 56
    frank777frank777 Posts: 5,839member
    Um...okay. Why Trinidad & Tobago?



    Why is Apple filing patent applications in small Caribbean countries?
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