Apple decides it's THEIR call what English means

parttimerparttimer
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Quote:

Apple: an 'App Store' Is Not a Store For Apps



What would be your first guess about what an app store sells? Don't be fooled, Apple warns, the phrase 'app store' is not generic and can only be used to describe Cupertino's... um, app store? 'Apple denies that, based on their common meaning, the words "app store" together denote a store for apps,' Apple said in a Thursday filing with a California district court. All this notwithstanding that Jobs himself used the phrase generically while referring to Android app stores.



Apple apparently think they own English too.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,326moderator
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Parttimer View Post


    All this notwithstanding that Jobs himself used the phrase generically while referring to Android app stores.



    There's a copy of the document here:



    http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal...327/238522/35/



    I wonder what they are getting at by saying it's not a store for apps. Surely they are going to have to actually define what they think it refers to. They currently refer to it as a source for mobile apps.



    Their own official advertising may really act against them here where they have claimed the App Store is the largest application store in the world and is the easiest-to-use largest app store in the world. By making the comparisons, it clearly suggests they define other competing stores in the same way. McDonalds reps wouldn't come out and say that it's the largest chain of McDonalds in the world.



    Yeah, they're probably going to lose this one. If they'd even said that App is short for Apple.



    If Apple does win, I really hope Steve sends each of the plaintiffs an email like:



    Change your app store* name. Not that big of a deal.



    Steve



    Sent from an app on my iPhone



    *app store is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc
  • Reply 2 of 7
    futurepastnowfuturepastnow Posts: 1,772member
    I wonder if it means they plan to sell things that aren't apps through the store, too.
  • Reply 3 of 7
    insikeinsike Posts: 188member
    App store was in use long before Apple started using it. Silly of them to lie like this.
  • Reply 4 of 7
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by insike View Post


    App store was in use long before Apple started using it.



    Where?



    I've heard this, but no one has proven it.
  • Reply 5 of 7
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,213member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Where?



    I've heard this, but no one has proven it.



    I'm with you. I've never seen reference to app store prior to Apple opening one. But as for the abbreviation "app", which is what the bulk of the argument concerns, there ample evidence of it's use well before Apple themselves opened a store selling them.
  • Reply 6 of 7
    piotpiot Posts: 1,346member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post


    But as for the abbreviation "app", which is what the bulk of the argument concerns, there ample evidence of it's use well before Apple themselves opened a store selling them.



    And that is why Apple has trademarked "App Store" and not "App".
  • Reply 7 of 7
    dr millmossdr millmoss Posts: 5,403member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by piot View Post


    And that is why Apple has trademarked "App Store" and not "App".



    Exactly. I have no idea whether Apple can win this trademark battle, but in such matters, context is everything. They aren't trying to shut down the App Marketplace. They also could not prevent someone selling fridges and ovens from calling their business the App Store.
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