Exclusive: Apple seeks rights to iPhone trademark

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
Apple Computer has filed for a trademark on the term iPhone, suggesting the company plans to use the moniker, recently popularized amongst the analyst and blogging communities, as the official name for its highly-anticipated iPod cell phone.



The filing, made last month with a Far Eastern trademark office, is the latest in a long list of incontrovertible evidence to suggest the Cupertino, Calif.-based iPod maker is in the final developmental stages of the project, which is expected to merge traditional cellular capabilities with an iPod digital music player.



In the September 15th filing, Apple describes iPhone as "handheld and mobile digital electronic devices for the sending and receiving of telephone calls, faxes, electronic mail, and other digital data; MP3 and other digital format audio players."



Under the primary but broad classification, Apple said iPhone may also consist of "electronic handheld units for the wireless receipt and/or transmission of data that enable the user to keep track of or manage personal information."



Similarly, it may include "software for the redirection of messages, Internet e-mail, and/or other data to one or more electronic handheld devices from a data store on or associated with a personal computer or a server; and software for the synchronization of data between a remote station or device and a fixed or remote station or device."



Of particular interest is a secondary classification of iPhone listed in the filing which pertains to a "stand alone video game machine," implying that the device may be compatible with the handful of arcade games recently introduced for Apple's fifth-generation video iPod players. The games are available for purchase and download from the company's iTunes Store for $4.99 a piece.



According to the filing, which remains under examination, Apple originally sought the iPhone trademark back in March, when it filed a similar request with a trademark office in a nation off the coast of South America.



Analysts and journalists have frequently use the term iPhone in reference to the company's cell phone initiative because of a December 16, 1999 domain registry by the iPod maker for iPhone.org. To this date, iPhone.org redirects to Apple's homepage at Apple.com.



Apple chief executive Steve Jobs, who has been known to blab to cronies about his company's upcoming cell phone device, is believed to have commissioned the release of prototypes to at least two potential OEM manufacturing partners earlier this year.



People familiar with the project have told AppleInsider that Apple is designing the initial handsets to conform with its integrated model in such a way that they will leverage the company's tightly-knit digital media franchises.



Shaw Wu, an analyst with American Technology Research, has also been high in his convictions that Apple will soon introduce an iPhone based on an iPod nano-like candy bar form factor. He said checks indicate the device will be available in three colors.



"Our research indicates that an Apple-designed smart phone has moved from concept to prototype and recently has progressed to near completion as a production unit," the analyst wrote in a note to Apple investors last month. "We believe this smart phone has been in development for over 12 months and has overcome substantial challenges including design, interference, battery life and other technical glitches."



Should Apple gain a 1 percent share in the billion unit worldwide cell phone market, it could generate an addition $2 billion in yearly revenue, according to Wu, who based the assumption on yearly sales of 10 million units at an average selling price of $200 per unit.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 48
    No hint about whether Apple will go it alone as a micro-carrier of if the phone will be distributed through one of the existing carriers? Previous rumors have gone both ways.
  • Reply 2 of 48
    bdj21yabdj21ya Posts: 297member
    Only a matter of time now. If I could be a little more certain about MWSF, I'd hold of buying a home and put all my savings in Apple stock, which will undoubtedly go above $90 the day word of the iPhone's imminence gets out.
  • Reply 3 of 48
    So these days it only takes nine to make a "plethora"?
  • Reply 4 of 48
    September 15th? So they will be granted it in 2008.. :/
  • Reply 5 of 48
    hobbeshobbes Posts: 1,252member
    Hmmm. I was hoping for something a little better than "iPhone".
  • Reply 6 of 48
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by minderbinder


    So these days it only takes nine to make a "plethora"?



    I was thinking the same thing.
  • Reply 7 of 48
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    There MAY be an iPhone, but I think this about releasing random info to catch leakers.



    One person gets told about a set-top game console, another gets told about a spreadsheet app, etc.--and Steve told HIMSELF about a phone. So when he heard someone had blabbed, he knew who it must be!



    I expect Steve to be fired shortly. Probably with some convenient excuse like stock options.
  • Reply 8 of 48
    bdj21yabdj21ya Posts: 297member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by minderbinder


    So these days it only takes nine to make a "plethora"?



    I agree with you that 9 games can hardly be called a plethora. However, if you had 9 piñatas, would you say you had a plethora of piñatas?
  • Reply 9 of 48
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hobbes


    Hmmm. I was hoping for something a little better than "iPhone".



    Agreed.



    So much for PhonePod.



    Maybe Apple will still adopt "TelePort" for the iTV. That's way more fun. "i" is out of date.



    -Clive
  • Reply 10 of 48
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    I believe a group of piñatas is properly termed a 'bash'.



    *rimshot*
  • Reply 11 of 48
    <<Apple originally sought the iPhone trademark back in March, when it filed a similar request with a trademark office in a nation off the coast of South America. >>



    How many such fully-fledged nations are there? I can think of Trinidad & Tobago (that's one nation). Any others? Why be coy about which nation this is? I can't imagine it's the Falkland Islands (a disputed colony).
  • Reply 12 of 48
    Funny: this past weekend I was just having the discussion with some friends at a backyard party that every party should involve one or more pinatas.



    I'd normally put the tilde in "pinatas," but windows is shit.
  • Reply 13 of 48
    walshbjwalshbj Posts: 864member
    They should make the phone work with Google Spreadsheets and Docs instead of focusing on some desktop Office-type package.
  • Reply 14 of 48
    chuckerchucker Posts: 5,089member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by walshbj


    They should make the phone work with Google Spreadsheets and Docs instead of focusing on some desktop Office-type package.







    What does one have to do with the other?
  • Reply 15 of 48
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hobbes


    Hmmm. I was hoping for something a little better than "iPhone".



    "iPhone" fits the Apple naming strategy. MacPhone, or MacPhone Pro does not.
  • Reply 16 of 48
    walshbjwalshbj Posts: 864member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Chucker






    What does one have to do with the other?



    I guess what I'm hoping for is a device that is truly mobile by being designed to sync with Internet resources instead of only syncing to a Desktop PC/Mac that you don't get to very often.

    If Apple and Google really are buddies that might happen.
  • Reply 17 of 48
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by minderbinder


    So these days it only takes nine to make a "plethora"?



    Under 9, it's a 'myriad.'
  • Reply 18 of 48
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Porchland


    No hint about whether Apple will go it alone as a micro-carrier of if the phone will be distributed through one of the existing carriers? Previous rumors have gone both ways.



    Some talk has now been directed towards T-mobile being a possible partner.
  • Reply 19 of 48
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bdj21ya


    Only a matter of time now. If I could be a little more certain about MWSF, I'd hold of buying a home and put all my savings in Apple stock, which will undoubtedly go above $90 the day word of the iPhone's imminence gets out.



    I'm not sure if you are serious...but on the off chance you are: Don't ever put all your savings into anything other than a savings bank.
  • Reply 20 of 48
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BRussell


    Under 9, it's a 'myriad.'



    Under "8" it's a "spate".
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