Apple… is there anything they won’t copyright just to stop everyone else making it? I mean, when they aren’t putting out copyrights on, or just plain stealing, other people’s work that is.
(Think Kodak)
Microsoft is angry as a result. Over a couple of words.
The bitchy argument between the companies is over the rights to the name ‘App Store’ which seems like such a generic term for such a complex service. Microsoft has now joined up with fellow Apple abuse recipients HTC, Nokia and Sony Ericsson, claiming that Apple’s copyrights on the name ‘App Store’ and ‘Appstore’ are designed to prevent competition from other legitimate app providers.
Microsoft drops a typically common-sense statement here:
“Microsoft and other leading technology companies are seeking to invalidate Apple’s trademark registration for APP STORE and APPSTORE because we believe that they should not have been granted because they both lack distinctiveness.
The undisputed facts establish that ‘app store’ means exactly what it says, a store offering apps, and is generic for the services that the registrations cover.”
In a – some would say – childish move, Apple has decided to spite back, claiming the same generalness level on Microsoft’s products ‘windows’ and ‘office’… methinks that Jobs and co. are a few ‘Apples’ short of a decent counter-argument.
Both companies have had to hire linguistic experts to do their respective biddings, but it seems like a ‘fruitless’ attempt to corner the market by Apple, but an equally difficult to argue point by Microsoft…
It’ll probably end up with the judge organising a copyright embargo on everything that includes apps… just to shut them both up.