Apple Inc. sued Amazon.com Inc. over its use of the phrase App Store, accusing the online retailer of trademark infringement. In a complaint filed March 18 in the U.S. District of Northern California, Apple asked the court for an injunction stopping Amazon from using the name as well as unspecified damages.
“Consumers of mobile software downloads are likely to be confused as to whether Amazon’s mobile software download service is sponsored or approved by Apple,” Apple said in its complaint.
The lawsuit comes as competition heats up between the two companies. Apple and Amazon compete against each other in many businesses, including e-books, as well as digital book and movie sales.
Apple registered for a trademark on the term App Store on July 17, 2008. It has been using the name since then to refer to its applications store for iPhones, iPod touches and iPads, which contains over 350,000 games, entertainment, news and other apps that users can download to customize their devices.
The filing says Amazon began using the phrase around January of this year to refer to its mobile software download service. Amazon, however, cites it as “Appstore,” with no space and a lower case ‘s’.
“We’ve asked Amazon not to copy the App Store name because it will confuse and mislead customers,” said a spokeswoman for Apple. A spokeswoman for Amazon said it does not comment on pending litigation.
Although Apple’s trademark was approved by authorities, it is also being challenged by Microsoft and is currently subject to proceedings before an appeals board, Apple said in its filing.
Apple is greedy IMHO. Boycott them.
Apple. Microsoft. Google. Amazon. They’re all the same. Bend over, consumer…