Apple has lost a trademark case against Solid Group, a Philippine-based tech company behind My|Phone. The Cupertino-based giant had contended that the name is “confusingly similar” to the iPhone, and is “likely to deceive or cause confusion.”
“This is a case of a giant trying to claim more territory than what it is entitled to, to the great prejudice of a local ‘Pinoy Phone’ merchant who has managed to obtain a significant foothold in the mobile phone market through the marketing and sale of innovative products under a very distinctive trademark,” said Nathaniel Arevalo, director of Philippines’ Intellectual Property Office (IPO), adding that there is “absolutely no confusing similarity between My|Phone trademark (of Solid) and the iPhone trademark (of Apple).”
The iPhone maker still has an option to appeal the verdict within a month of receiving a copy of the ruling, after which it becomes final. It’s worth mentioning that the trademark My|Phone was first registered by Solid Group on June 25, 2007, just a few days before Apple released the first generation iPhone.
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