Apple Pays '7-Figure Settlement' in 'iAds' Trademark Lawsuit?

MacRumors

macrumors bot

Original poster

Apr 12, 2001

68,691

39,595

• Nov 1, 2010

• #1

Snippet of Web posting mentioning '7-figure settlement' for 'iAds' trademark

CNET reports that Apple appears to have settled a trademark lawsuit over the term 'iAds', reportedly paying a firm in excess of $1 million for the rights to the name it has used for its mobile advertising platform for the past several months. The revelation comes in an apparent slip from Consor Intellectual Asset Management, a firm that helps companies worth intellectual property issues, in the form of a promotional posting in which Consor touted its role in achieving the settlement for a client.

We've seen Apple caught up in plenty of these trademark disputes before and just like many of those, this one was settled without a peep from either party about the terms. That likely would have been the last of it but on Thursday, Consor, a company that helps evaluate intellectual property, posted a release to the Web titled "Consor Intellectual Asset Management Secures Success for Four Clients."

In a teaser line under the headline, the company wrote: "iAds, a 7-figure settlement from Apple Computer in a trademark infringement case."

Click to expand...

Oddly, when CNET contacted Consor about the deal, the company initially denied that any such announcement had been made. Upon being informed that the information was freely available on the web, a Consor representative claimed that some of the information "wasn't accurate".

The most likely explanation for Consor's attempts to distance itself from the release is that it erred in publishing details what was intended to be a confidential settlement with Apple over the trademark issue, although it is possible that Consor was in fact incorrect about the amount of money involved.

Article Link: Apple Pays '7-Figure Settlement' in 'iAds' Trademark Lawsuit?

 

Article Link

https://www.macrumors.com/2010/11/01/apple-pays-7-figure-settlement-in-iads-trademark-lawsuit/

tigres

macrumors 601

Aug 31, 2007

4,217

1,326

Land of the Free-Waiting for Term Limits

• Nov 1, 2010

• #2

Watch apple get it's money back, oh the irony...

 

D

Donz0r

macrumors 6502a

Jun 29, 2006

903

23

• Nov 1, 2010

• #3

7 figures, so less than 10 million? heh, chump change

 

Arcus

macrumors 6502a

Dec 28, 2004

723

345

of my hand will get me slapped.

• Nov 1, 2010

• #4

10,000.00

Thats seven figures right?

 

jav6454

macrumors Core

Nov 14, 2007

22,303

6,270

1 Geostationary Tower Plaza

• Nov 1, 2010

• #5

Not much then. I though it'd be in the 25Million range.

 

M

mbrannon47

macrumors regular

Jun 20, 2010

117

56

• Nov 1, 2010

• #6

You'd think a reputable law firm would get the name of the corporation correct. Apple Computer hasn't existed since 2007.

 

M

MacPhilosopher

macrumors 6502

Jul 26, 2005

310

0

Phoenix

• Nov 1, 2010

• #7

The sad part of this and every other trade, intellectual and copyright suit is the cost is eventually paid by the consumer. It just another cost of doing business.

 

A

alhedges

macrumors 6502

Oct 5, 2008

395

0

• Nov 1, 2010

• #8

mbrannon47 said:

You'd think a reputable law firm would get the name of the corporation correct. Apple Computer hasn't existed since 2007.

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It's not a law firm, it's a consulting firm that has law firms as clients...but getting "Apple Computer" wrong pales in comparison to releasing what should be confidential information on a website...

 

S

stoopkitty

macrumors member

Jan 26, 2010

62

0

• Nov 1, 2010

• #9

corecction:

"Upon being informed that the information was freely available no the web..."

change to "on the web..."

 

skeep5

macrumors 6502a

Mar 16, 2006

560

0

AZ

• Nov 1, 2010

• #10

dang gina

 

MacLawyer

macrumors 6502a

Aug 1, 2009

941

2,480

U.S.A.

• Nov 1, 2010

• #11

If there was a non-disclosure agreement and they put that out there, they may in turn get sued by Apple.

 

C

canyonblue737

macrumors 68020

Jan 10, 2005

2,242

2,797

• Nov 1, 2010

• #12

That's like you or me paying a $5 spot.

 

Bonch

macrumors 6502

May 28, 2005

442

1

Lithuania

• Nov 1, 2010

• #13

Note to self: trademark common words with an i in front of them. Then profit.

 

dlewis23

macrumors 65816

Oct 23, 2007

1,164

1,916

• Nov 1, 2010

• #14

tigres said:

Watch apple get it's money back, oh the irony...

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They will get it back for sure, one way or another.

 

bobob

macrumors 68040

Jan 11, 2008

3,437

2,520

• Nov 1, 2010

• #15

Bonch said:

Note to self: trademark common words with an i in front of them. Then profit.

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They're already all iGone.

 

I

IMPMAC

macrumors member

Mar 4, 2009

34

0

• Nov 1, 2010

• #16

I must patent something with an "i". Its a good investment!

 

T

triceretops

macrumors regular

Feb 28, 2003

159

0

Illinois

• Nov 1, 2010

• #17

Bonch said:

Note to self: trademark common words with an i in front of them. Then profit.

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Like iPoop? Oops, already taken.

 

BornAgainMac

macrumors 604

Feb 4, 2004

7,407

5,477

Florida Resident

• Nov 1, 2010

• #18

stoopkitty said:

"Upon being informed that the information was freely available no the web..."

change to "on the web..."

Click to expand...

or

"...was freely available. Just Google it..."

 

P

paul4339

macrumors 65816

Sep 14, 2009

1,458

766

• Nov 1, 2010

• #19

i wonder how much apple spent on it's legal reps to resolve to a 7-figure settlement.

P.

 

W

womble2k2

macrumors regular

Apr 1, 2009

214

0

London

• Nov 1, 2010

• #20

Bonch said:

Note to self: trademark common words with an i in front of them. Then profit.

Click to expand...

iHiFi
iMusic
iVision
iEntertainment
iMedia
iCalculator
iPencil
iPen
iPaper
iInk
iAir (ultra thin iMac !?!)
iWindows (if Apple bought MS!)
iClock with iAlarm (just don't rely on it when Daylight saving ends!!)
iBlu-Ray (!!!!)
iCar
iJet
iFuel
iWall
iFridge
iOven
iWater

It might take some time !!!!!

 

ghostlyorb

macrumors 6502a

Jan 9, 2010

920

0

Virginia, USA

• Nov 1, 2010

• #21

womble2k2 said:

iHiFi
iMusic
iVision
iEntertainment
iMedia
iCalculator
iPencil
iPen
iPaper
iInk
iAir (ultra thin iMac !?!)
iWindows (if Apple bought MS!)
iClock with iAlarm (just don't rely on it when Daylight saving ends!!)
iBlu-Ray (!!!!)
iCar
iJet
iFuel
iWall
iFridge
iOven
iWater

It might take some time !!!!!

Click to expand...

I wish MacRumors had a "like" button for comments... Cause I would "like" this. Just saying.

 

D

Digitalclips

macrumors 65816

Mar 16, 2006

1,475

36

Sarasota, Florida

• Nov 1, 2010

• #22

womble2k2 said:

iHiFi
iMusic
iVision
iEntertainment
iMedia
iCalculator
iPencil
iPen
iPaper
iInk
iAir (ultra thin iMac !?!)
iWindows (if Apple bought MS!)
iClock with iAlarm (just don't rely on it when Daylight saving ends!!)
iBlu-Ray (!!!!)
iCar
iJet
iFuel
iWall
iFridge
iOven
iWater

It might take some time !!!!!

Click to expand...

iCan't be bothered.

 

Mochi Hana

macrumors 6502a

Jul 30, 2010

532

1

Texas

• Nov 1, 2010

• #23

womble2k2 said:

iHiFi
iMusic
iVision
iEntertainment
iMedia
iCalculator
iPencil
iPen
iPaper
iInk
iAir (ultra thin iMac !?!)
iWindows (if Apple bought MS!)
iClock with iAlarm (just don't rely on it when Daylight saving ends!!)
iBlu-Ray (!!!!)
iCar
iJet
iFuel
iWall
iFridge
iOven
iWater

It might take some time !!!!!

Click to expand...

iStove
iMicrowave
iShower
iToilet
iTrash Can

 

moderately

macrumors 6502

Sep 7, 2010

323

20

• Nov 1, 2010

• #24

iT

 

D

Don Kosak

macrumors 6502a

Mar 12, 2010

860

4

United States

• Nov 1, 2010

• #25

Hmm, a seven figure settlement. Wonder if it had a clause that said, "If you disclose the settlement, we get our money back..." That would be comical.

Such clauses are common in settlement deals. The settler (Apple) in this case, doesn't want any of this being disclosed. It's bad for business and leads to other cases being brought against them by folks that think Apple is an easy mark.