Apple Acquitted in Mexican 'iPhone' Naming Lawsuit

Fanboys just can't stand for Apple being wrong, they go anxious all over the place, and star bashing everyone that think different than them.... Dealing in absolutes, will only lead you to the dark side my friends xD

fallenjt said:

That means, if you're in Mexico, you can use Cixco, Mycrosoft or Inn-tel names for your electronic insurance plans because Cisco, Microsoft or Intel doesn't have that line of business. Why bother to figure out a name for your company while you can just use someone else's famous name out there and tweak a bit to make it different but sound the same. Mex IP agency is a corrupt group.

I'm telling you this: for a country like Mexico, China or somewhere in Africa, Trade Mark is BS where you can just backdate your registration by bribing officials...sure it's so valid in those countries that you can even get a college degree without going to school at all.

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Seriously? iFone was operating long before the iPhone ever existed. And it's not only on the trademark filings, it's been doing business with Cisco, Microsoft and Intel... for that long.
But yes, in Mexico a company can use the iPhone name because it doesn't have the line of business of the iFone company, so there is no place for confusion between the two.

And regarding the thing about corruption, I'm assuming you don't live anywhere in America, because that **** is everywhere you turn. The difference is that Mexicans aren't hypocrites and admit to it, whereas Americans preach they live in the land of the free where corruption is non-existant.

Interestingly, Apple was the first to create the iSomething nomenclature with the first candy colored iMacs in 1998. I'm not a fan of big company crushing little guy, but it's pretty clear to me iFone was cribbing on the intellectual property rights of the iSomething naming system.

53buick said:

Interestingly, Apple was the first to create the iSomething nomenclature with the first candy colored iMacs in 1998. I'm not a fan of big company crushing little guy, but it's pretty clear to me iFone was cribbing on the intellectual property rights of the iSomething naming system.

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Actually it was women's portal iVillage that was the first to use the iSomething in 1994. Although yes it was Apple's iMac that popularized it in 98.

The iFone company was founded in 2002, when Apple's iPod was barely beginning to give it the limelight it now has, at least internationally. So saying that iFone jumped on the bandwagon of the iCraze is doubtful at best.

The iSomething was being used way before Apple plastered it all over its products. Compaq's iPAQ is another example. iGoogle anyone? The i prefix used to signify internet, just like the e prefix was electronic.

So, giving that iFone provides Comm Solutions through the internet, it was a logical name back then.

alonsofedz said:

Actually it was women's portal iVillage that was the first to use the iSomething in 1994. Although yes it was Apple's iMac that popularized it in 98.

The iFone company was founded in 2002, when Apple's iPod was barely beginning to give it the limelight it now has, at least internationally. So saying that iFone jumped on the bandwagon of the iCraze is doubtful at best.

The iSomething was being used way before Apple plastered it all over its products. Compaq's iPAQ is another example. iGoogle anyone? The i prefix used to signify internet, just like the e prefix was electronic.

So, giving that iFone provides Comm Solutions through the internet, it was a logical name back then.

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You are mostly correct, except that iPAQ came out after the iMac, not before. And yes, the iCraze (I like that term) was well into swing when iFone was created.

alonsofedz said:

The iSomething was being used way before Apple plastered it all over its products. Compaq's iPAQ is another example. iGoogle anyone? The i prefix used to signify internet, just like the e prefix was electronic.

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Yep, there were plenty of "i" names back when the internet was just getting popular. Apple didn't invent the idea... they just used it like everyone else. In fact, they were rather late to making something with an "i" name.

The popularity of "i" is why Apple's ad agency talked Steve Jobs into using "iMac" instead of the name he wanted to use (the "MacMan"... a horrible ripoff of the Sony Walkman and PacMan.)

A while back, I spent a morning at the USPTO and compiled an internet / interactive i-trademark and i-name list. It's easy to see that Apple was just following a popular trend.

Red = Apple trademark, Blue = a name or trademark later used by Apple.

1987 - iNet (online storage)

1992 - iScreen (online computer manuals)

1993 - iTV (interactive TV)
1993 - ICONNECT (internet professionals)

1994 - iPod chair (internet equipped pod chair - Australia)
1994 - iBank (remote banking comms)

1995 - iCOMM (internet comms)
1995 - IMall (internet business)
1995 - iNET (internet comms)
1995 - ishop (internet store software)
1995 - IStore (internet shopping)
1995 - iRock (internet music radio)
1995 - I-SITE (internet comms)
1995 - I-FAX (internet to fax)
1995 - I-Central (internet consulting)
1995 - iFind (MCI directory)
1995 - IVIEW (interactive USAF viewer)
1995 - ICast (internet broadcasts)
1995 - iCity (internet hosting)

1996 - iHome (intelligent/interactive home)
1996 - iMessage (internet mail)
1996 - iRadio (interactive internet radio)
1996 - iBox (internet computer for home)
1996 - IBrowse (internet browser for Amiga)
1996 - i-Remote (internet TV remote control)
1996 - iBooks (interactive books)
1996 - iGames (internet gambling)
1996 - iMonitor (integrated systems monitor)
1996 - iKiosk (internet printer)
1996 - iName (internet addresses)
1996 - iPrint (internet printing)
1996 - iPhoto (internet printing)
1996 - iCall (internet comms)
1996 - iQuest (QWEST internet)
1996 - i-Page (paging handsets from internet)
1996 - iTel (internet media transfer)
1996 - I800 (internet directory)
1996 - I.CHALLENGE (internet gaming)

1997 - IMail (Internet Explorer Mail)
1997 - iWORLD (internet community)
1997 - iPoint (embedded Internet APIs)
1997 - iPump (internet reference design)
1997 - iMeter (internet meter reader)
1997 - I Antiques & I Collectibles
1997 - i-MAGIC (interactive learning)
1997 - iCube (internet kiosk)
1997 - IPostOffice
1997 - iRenaissance (internet software)
1997 - iCommunity (internet BBS)
1997 - iMatch (internet dating)
1997 - INote (internet note taker)
1997 - Iplay (internet games)
1997 - iPhone (internet phone)
1997 - IPAD (Internet Protocol ADapter box)
1997 - IPad (interactive notepad - Cross pens)

1998 - iMagic (interactive ad company)
1998 - iTourist (interactive ads)
1998 - iGovernment (info)
1998 - itravel (internet travel agency)
1998 - INews (internet news)
1998 - IView (interent adapter)
1998 - iAPP (internet job applications)
1998 - iAnnounce (internet announcements)
1998 - iInvite (internet invitations)
1998 - iNote (internet sticky notes)
1998 - iMac by Apple
1998 - imouse (interactive mouse)

1999 - idesk (internet management)
1999 - iform (internet data)
1999 - iTerm (internet web terminal)
1999 - i-Opener (internet web computer)
1999 - IPOD (internet protocol converter)
1999 - iNews24 (internet News site)
1999 - iCatalog (internet catalog)
1999 - iTours (internet tour booking)
1999 - iBook by Apple
1999 - iFrame (internet photo network)

2000 - ICard (internet bank card services)
2000 - iDirect (internet direct satellite link)
2000 - iVacation (internet home rentals)
2000 - iRad (internet radio)
2000 - iPAQ (internet computer)
2000 - iPod (internet kiosk - NJ company)

2001 - iTunes by Apple
2001 - iPod by Apple

AND my favorite preApple i-Trademark of them all...
A product that used ONLY the lowercase letter "i"...

kdarling said:

Yep, there were plenty of "i" names back when the internet was just getting popular. Apple didn't invent the idea... they just used it like everyone else. In fact, they were rather late to making something with an "i" name.

The popularity of "i" is why Apple's ad agency talked Steve Jobs into using "iMac" instead of the name he wanted to use (the "MacMan"... a horrible ripoff of the Sony Walkman and PacMan.)

A while back, I spent a morning at the USPTO and compiled an internet / interactive i-trademark and i-name list. It's easy to see that Apple was just following a popular trend.

Red = Apple trademark, Blue = a name or trademark later used by Apple.

1987 - iNet (online storage)

1992 - iScreen (online computer manuals)

1993 - iTV (interactive TV)
1993 - ICONNECT (internet professionals)

1994 - iPod chair (internet equipped pod chair - Australia)
1994 - iBank (remote banking comms)

1995 - iCOMM (internet comms)
1995 - IMall (internet business)
1995 - iNET (internet comms)
1995 - ishop (internet store software)
1995 - IStore (internet shopping)
1995 - iRock (internet music radio)
1995 - I-SITE (internet comms)
1995 - I-FAX (internet to fax)
1995 - I-Central (internet consulting)
1995 - iFind (MCI directory)
1995 - IVIEW (interactive USAF viewer)
1995 - ICast (internet broadcasts)
1995 - iCity (internet hosting)

1996 - iHome (intelligent/interactive home)
1996 - iMessage (internet mail)
1996 - iRadio (interactive internet radio)
1996 - iBox (internet computer for home)
1996 - IBrowse (internet browser for Amiga)
1996 - i-Remote (internet TV remote control)
1996 - iBooks (interactive books)
1996 - iGames (internet gambling)
1996 - iMonitor (integrated systems monitor)
1996 - iKiosk (internet printer)
1996 - iName (internet addresses)
1996 - iPrint (internet printing)
1996 - iPhoto (internet printing)
1996 - iCall (internet comms)
1996 - iQuest (QWEST internet)
1996 - i-Page (paging handsets from internet)
1996 - iTel (internet media transfer)
1996 - I800 (internet directory)
1996 - I.CHALLENGE (internet gaming)

1997 - IMail (Internet Explorer Mail)
1997 - iWORLD (internet community)
1997 - iPoint (embedded Internet APIs)
1997 - iPump (internet reference design)
1997 - iMeter (internet meter reader)
1997 - I Antiques & I Collectibles
1997 - i-MAGIC (interactive learning)
1997 - iCube (internet kiosk)
1997 - IPostOffice
1997 - iRenaissance (internet software)
1997 - iCommunity (internet BBS)
1997 - iMatch (internet dating)
1997 - INote (internet note taker)
1997 - Iplay (internet games)
1997 - iPhone (internet phone)
1997 - IPAD (Internet Protocol ADapter box)
1997 - IPad (interactive notepad - Cross pens)

1998 - iMagic (interactive ad company)
1998 - iTourist (interactive ads)
1998 - iGovernment (info)
1998 - itravel (internet travel agency)
1998 - INews (internet news)
1998 - IView (interent adapter)
1998 - iAPP (internet job applications)
1998 - iAnnounce (internet announcements)
1998 - iInvite (internet invitations)
1998 - iNote (internet sticky notes)
1998 - iMac by Apple
1998 - imouse (interactive mouse)

1999 - idesk (internet management)
1999 - iform (internet data)
1999 - iTerm (internet web terminal)
1999 - i-Opener (internet web computer)
1999 - IPOD (internet protocol converter)
1999 - iNews24 (internet News site)
1999 - iCatalog (internet catalog)
1999 - iTours (internet tour booking)
1999 - iBook by Apple
1999 - iFrame (internet photo network)

2000 - ICard (internet bank card services)
2000 - iDirect (internet direct satellite link)
2000 - iVacation (internet home rentals)
2000 - iRad (internet radio)
2000 - iPAQ (internet computer)
2000 - iPod (internet kiosk - NJ company)

2001 - iTunes by Apple
2001 - iPod by Apple

AND my favorite preApple i-Trademark of them all...
A product that used ONLY the lowercase letter "i"...

View attachment 475841

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Oh wow, I had no idea. Very cool info. I was mostly going on the explosion that seemed to happen with the iStuff in 3rd party products around the turn of the century, but man on man, I didn't realize it went back that far. Great info, thanks for posting!