Apple loses exclusive rights to 'iPhone' trademark for non-smartphone products in China

Posted:
in iPhone
Adding to the company's problems in the region, Apple has lost exclusivity on the use of the "iPhone" trademark in China, and must now share it with Beijing-based leather products maker Xintong Tiandi Technology, reports said on Tuesday.




On March 31, the Beijing Municipal High People's Court rejected an Apple appeal of an earlier ruling, according to Quartz. Xintong Tiandi is already selling a number of "IPHONE" products, including purses, passport cases, and most notably phone cases.

The company registered its trademark in China in 2007, the same year as the Apple iPhone launched in the United States. That was, however, still five years after Apple registered the iPhone name in China for computer products, something which formed the basis of a 2012 complaint to the country's trademark authorities.

In 2013 the government ruled that because Apple couldn't prove the name "IPHONE" was well-known prior to Xintong Tiandi's registration, the public wouldn't link its use in a way that would harm Apple interests. In rejecting Apple's appeal, the High People's Court further noted that the company didn't sell the iPhone in mainland China until 2009.

Apple has had a complicated relationship with Chinese government for some time. In 2012, for instance, it was ordered to pay $60 million in a trademark dispute over the term "iPad." Just this April, two of Apple's online storefronts -- iTunes Movies and the iBooks Store -- were shut down in China, reportedly by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television. No reason was indicated, but the Chinese internet is regularly subject to censorship and other restrictions.

On top of this, Chinese revenues were down year-over-year in the March quarter, despite that region being vital to Apple's future. Apple CEO Tim Cook has tried to defend the slip as matter of perspective.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 44
    viclauyycviclauyyc Posts: 849member
    totalitarianism


    SpamSandwichentropys
  • Reply 2 of 44
    9secondkox29secondkox2 Posts: 2,663member
    In other news, Chinese government still an evil human rights violation personified. 

    Up for tomorrow: terrorism still happening, but with a friendlier media perspective. 

    Stay tuned. 
    igorskycalibrakkenjbdragon
  • Reply 3 of 44
    the thorough disrespect for IP and property rights in general will come back and bite the communists in the ass one day.  i am assured of this, maybe not today or tomorrow, but the day of reckoning is coming.
    magman1979calijbdragon
  • Reply 4 of 44
    awilliams87awilliams87 Posts: 264member
    the thorough disrespect for IP and property rights in general will come back and bite the communists in the ass one day.  i am assured of this, maybe not today or tomorrow, but the day of reckoning is coming.
    Why would it? IP is not real.
  • Reply 5 of 44
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    Hopefully those other "Iphone" users won't produce crap, but I'm sure they undoubtedly will....
    ronn
  • Reply 6 of 44
    igorskyigorsky Posts: 752member
    I'd really love for Apple to take all their manufacturing jobs out of China and bring it all to the US. I'd be willing to pay more.
    hodarben20
  • Reply 7 of 44
    blitz2blitz2 Posts: 34member
    sog35 said:
    Apple needs to rely less on China for revenue.

    How? Services. Period.

    Facebook and Google only do advertising and they are worth $800 billion combined.

    Tim Cook has to get of his high horse on privacy and start building an Apple advertising empire.

    Tim Cook always spews about how important privacy is.
    But Apple users don't give a crap.

    86% of iOS users use Facebook.
    http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Facebook-iOS-Android-Google-Apple,news-16588.html

    80% of Google's mobile revenue is from iOS users
    http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/03/29/google_earns_80_of_its_mobile_revenue_from_ios_just_20_from_android

    85% of iOS users use at least one Google service.



    All this means that iOS users don't give a crap about privacy. That is why Apple needs to build their advertising empire.  

    With advertising Apple would not need to rely on a communist state.
    remember iAds?
    brakkenslprescottjbdragonam8449entropys
  • Reply 8 of 44
    iyfcalviniyfcalvin Posts: 79member
    If you know how to do business in China, with a corrupt hierarchy, maybe Apple execs need to understand and follow protocol to ensure people are taken "care" of making things go smoothly. Me thinks some people at Apple have upset the "Apple"cart!
    edited May 2016 brakken
  • Reply 9 of 44
    awilliams87awilliams87 Posts: 264member
    sog35 said:
    Apple needs to rely less on China for revenue.

    How? Services. Period.

    Facebook and Google only do advertising and they are worth $800 billion combined.

    Tim Cook has to get of his high horse on privacy and start building an Apple advertising empire.

    Tim Cook always spews about how important privacy is.
    But Apple users don't give a crap.

    86% of iOS users use Facebook.
    http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Facebook-iOS-Android-Google-Apple,news-16588.html

    80% of Google's mobile revenue is from iOS users
    http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/03/29/google_earns_80_of_its_mobile_revenue_from_ios_just_20_from_android

    85% of iOS users use at least one Google service.



    All this means that iOS users don't give a crap about privacy. That is why Apple needs to build their advertising empire.  

    With advertising Apple would not need to rely on a communist state.
    Your figures don't indicate that they don't care about privacy.
    doozydozenjbdragon
  • Reply 10 of 44
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    I've said it many times in the past... China needs to be booted out of the WTO.  Sure, you'll have to spend more than $20 for a microwave oven, but at least it will be built better, last longer, and give China the middle-finger for not playing by the rules.  Screw them.  I avoid at all possible buying anything that's made in China, Apple products being a very, very small exception to the rule. :/

    latifbpronn
  • Reply 11 of 44
    awilliams87awilliams87 Posts: 264member
    sog35 said:
    Your figures don't indicate that they don't care about privacy.
    Yes it does.

    80-90% of iOS users use Facebook and Google services. 
    Everyone who has half a brain knows your privacy is getting violated using those services.

    So why the hell should Tim Cook sacrifice literally TENS OF BILLIONS in revenue to push something iOS users don't give a crap about?
    And I'd rather Apple have my data then Google/Facebook any day of the week.

    I'm fine with Tim Cook speaking about social issues. But when those social issues (privacy, data mining, adverstising) is stopping your company from growing its services its time to set your personal values aside and allow the user to get what they want.  The users HAS SPOKEN LOUD AND CLEAR THEY DON'T MIND A BREACH OF PRIVACY FOR A GOOD SERVICE.

    This is one of the main reasons I think Cook may need to be fired. I just don't see him starting an advertising empire. 

    Apple needs to grow its services ASAP so they are not so reliant on China and the world economy. 

    1. Advertising and data mining
    2. Cloud
    3. Social 

    Apple needs to spend $150 billion in the next 5 years to grow those services to compete head to head with Facebook and Google.
    They use Facebook because everyone else does. That's it. That doesn't indicate that they don't care about privacy. You're erroneously drawing a conclusion from a premise which doesn't support it.
  • Reply 12 of 44
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    sflocal said:
    I've said it many times in the past... China needs to be booted out of the WTO.  Sure, you'll have to spend more than $20 for a microwave oven, but at least it will be built better, last longer, and give China the middle-finger for not playing by the rules.  Screw them.  I avoid at all possible buying anything that's made in China, Apple products being a very, very small exception to the rule.

    You really think it's because it's built in China that something is crappy? It's crappy because people are not ready to pay the price for quality good.
    If you're ready to pay for something and it is well designed, like an Iphone, Chinese made good are perfectly fine.

    People don't realize how cheaper their goods are than they used to be.
    If you pay your Appliances 1/5 the price as in the 1960s (in current money), then don't expect it to last as long.
    If you pay for a $4000 for commercial grade stove-oven, it will last a hell of a long time and be top notch quality.

    edited May 2016 awilliams87
  • Reply 13 of 44
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    igorsky said:
    I'd really love for Apple to take all their manufacturing jobs out of China and bring it all to the US. I'd be willing to pay more.
    If they bring it to the US, they'll use mostly robotics (otherwise there is no point) and very few will have jobs.
    That's the thing people don't realize when they say that. There is no way to repatriate these things using just labor.
    The skill pool is too low, the number of people that can be used on demand is too low too.
  • Reply 14 of 44
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    I'm beginning to think Apple SHOULD move production to India.
    Unfortunately it's not so easy.
  • Reply 15 of 44
    seanie248seanie248 Posts: 180member
    simple, just announce at WWDC that it will henceforth be known as the Apple Phone, change the iMac back to the Apple Mac, and iPad to Apple Pad. That bring it all in line with Apple TV, Apple Pay, Apple Macbook, Apple Watch, Apple Music.
    techlover
  • Reply 16 of 44
    ivladivlad Posts: 742member
    foggyhill said:
    igorsky said:
    I'd really love for Apple to take all their manufacturing jobs out of China and bring it all to the US. I'd be willing to pay more.
    If they bring it to the US, they'll use mostly robotics (otherwise there is no point) and very few will have jobs.
    That's the thing people don't realize when they say that. There is no way to repatriate these things using just labor.
    The skill pool is too low, the number of people that can be used on demand is too low too.
    Not only that, China controls world's rare minerals. It would mean that China would need to export minerals to US at a high price also, something China will not do.
  • Reply 17 of 44
    ivladivlad Posts: 742member

    seanie248 said:
    simple, just announce at WWDC that it will henceforth be known as the Apple Phone, change the iMac back to the Apple Mac, and iPad to Apple Pad. That bring it all in line with Apple TV, Apple Pay, Apple Macbook, Apple Watch, Apple Music.
    I think Apple is slowly doing just that. It takes time.
  • Reply 18 of 44
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    foggyhill said:
    sflocal said:
    I've said it many times in the past... China needs to be booted out of the WTO.  Sure, you'll have to spend more than $20 for a microwave oven, but at least it will be built better, last longer, and give China the middle-finger for not playing by the rules.  Screw them.  I avoid at all possible buying anything that's made in China, Apple products being a very, very small exception to the rule. :/

    You really think it's because it's built in China that something is crappy? It's crappy because people are not ready to pay the price for quality good.
    If you're ready to pay for something and it is well designed, like an Iphone, Chinese made good are perfectly fine.

    People don't realize how cheaper their goods are than they used to be.
    If you pay your Appliances 1/5 the price as in the 1960s (in current money), then don't expect it to last as long.
    If you pay for a $3000 for commercial grade stove-oven, it will last a hell of a long time and be top notch quality.

    Outside of Apple, that's not been the case with me. I've had 3 bad LG washing machines in a row. Two of the 3 were warranty replacements and they were all bad. All were made in China. LG appliances made in China are pure junk. I ended up taking my LG to the dump and buying a Whirlpool that's made here in the USA. The Whirlpool is such a higher quality appliance. Speaking of appliances, I hope the Trade Commission sides with Whirlpool and imposes tariffs on Chinese made Samsung and LG washing machines. 
    ronn
  • Reply 19 of 44
    VisualSeedVisualSeed Posts: 217member
    So what non "phone" product would be called "iPhone"? MciPhone Apple Sesame Burger at Captain StarBuckets Fried Chicken Restaurant ?
    ronn
  • Reply 20 of 44
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    foggyhill said:
    sflocal said:
    I've said it many times in the past... China needs to be booted out of the WTO.  Sure, you'll have to spend more than $20 for a microwave oven, but at least it will be built better, last longer, and give China the middle-finger for not playing by the rules.  Screw them.  I avoid at all possible buying anything that's made in China, Apple products being a very, very small exception to the rule. :/

    You really think it's because it's built in China that something is crappy? It's crappy because people are not ready to pay the price for quality good.
    If you're ready to pay for something and it is well designed, like an Iphone, Chinese made good are perfectly fine.

    People don't realize how cheaper their goods are than they used to be.
    If you pay your Appliances 1/5 the price as in the 1960s (in current money), then don't expect it to last as long.
    If you pay for a $3000 for commercial grade stove-oven, it will last a hell of a long time and be top notch quality.

    Yep.  Just about everything that comes out out of China in my experience is crap.  I'd sugarcoat it for you, but that would bring insult to the word.  It's crap.  They know it, we know it, and many just accept it as the new world order of disposable items.

    A big client of mine here has a love/hate relationship with so many suppliers out of China.  Even with our company employees visiting the factories in China often to make sure the quality is as-agreed and signed-for, I lost track of how many containers over the years come in from those Chinese vendors where they tried to pass-off lower-quality materials and workmanship and hope we didn't notice.  They knowingly try using inferior materials after-the-fact, and literally wait for us to call them on it.  I often hear arguments on the phone with our people and the Chinese vendors trying to screw us over.  I'm talking 10+ years of this at this one client, and on top of that, they take our designs, copy it with a different coat of paint and sell it to others knowing we're too small to fight a big fish.  Shameful business practices.

    For me personally, just about everything I bought years past... tools, building supplies, etc.. that was made there may have been 1/2 the price of similar non-China products but they would break, fade, not-work, etc... The hassles, time, effort, gas spent to deal with their shitty products just had me paying twice as much for a non-Chinese product but I would only buy once and be done with it.

    Why should I spend $10 on a particular item, replace it after it breaks a few months later, several times than just pay $20 for a sturdy, well-built product that I install once and it's done with?

    And yes, I DO spend a heck of a lot more for a quality item because I realized my time and effort has value than to be wasted in dealing with Chinese shit.

    Some friends in my circle chime in with my buying "only the best", but change their tune when I explain the math on buying a quality item once and it being cheaper in the long run.

    You want your $10 Chinese product that you know will fail in time, go right ahead.  I accepted it, moved on and am much more happy because of it.

    Products made in China for Apple are the exception to the rule, only because I know Apple has those vendors under a magnifying glass and will drop the hammer hard on them hard if they try to pass off garbage.  I know if China really tried to screw with Apple's quality, love it or hate it, Apple will shut it down and move to another facility outside of China if it absolutely had to.  China and Apple need each other and they both know it, but for all the other folks having to deal with China, they're just a bunch of scammers as far as I'm concerned.

    Not ranting on you... just ranting in general.
    pscooter63ration alronn
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