Since Apple first launched its iPhone App Store, companies have set about to copy the concept and the name. It seems that Apple has had enough.
[ad#Google Adsense 300×250 in story]Apple filed a lawsuit against Amazon to force the company from using the term “App Store.” The term has become synonymous with Apple’s application store and clearly Amazon is trying to take advantage of that in opening a marketplace to sell Android applications.
“We’ve asked Amazon not to copy the App Store name because it will confuse and mislead customers,” Apple said in a statement.
Amazon said the years it has spent in the shopping business will help add features to an Android store. The company points to its recommendation system as an example, according to The New York Times.
Amazon will review developer’s apps and refuse them if they don’t work or if it puts customers data at risk. Google doesn’t review apps before they enter its store.
I understand Apple’s need to try and protect its intellectual property with the App Store name but I think that they will loose this legal battle. The name “App Store” is just too generic. Not to mention that Amazon is calling it the “Andriod App Store”. I doubt that anyone will confuse the two.
Apple has already been granted the mark. Until Microsoft et al pull off a successful appeal Apple still must defend the mark or risk losing it until ‘failure to protect’ rules.
Apple sues Amazon for using the word “app store