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Apple and Amazon Settle 'App Store' Dispute

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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The long dispute between Apple and Amazon over the term "App Store" has come to an end, with Apple agreeing to end the lawsuit with promises from Amazon not to countersue, reports Reuters.
"We no longer see a need to pursue our case," Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet said. "With more than 900,000 apps and 50 billion downloads, customers know where they can purchase their favorite apps."

Martin Glick, a lawyer for Amazon, said in an interview, "This was a decision by Apple to unilaterally abandon the case, and leave Amazon free to use 'appstore.'"
Click to expand...
Apple and Amazon's disagreement arose after Amazon debuted the "Amazon Appstore" in March of 2011, three years after Apple launched its own App Store. Apple sued just days after the Amazon Appstore was made available, asking the court to prevent Amazon from using the term as it tarnished the reputation of the Apple App Store.

194052-amazonappstore.png
Amazon responded with a request to throw out the trademark suit, calling the "app store" term generic, a position that Microsoft also took when Apple's trademark was originally filed.

Early this year, Amazon successfully had a portion of Apple's lawsuit dismissed, following claims last year that Apple had failed to demonstrate "real evidence of actual confusion" between app stores, suggesting that Apple was "not likely to prevail" in the suit.



Article Link: Apple and Amazon Settle 'App Store' Dispute
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/07/09/apple-and-amazon-settle-app-store-dispute/
A

abz1981

macrumors 65816
Jan 3, 2011
1,013
4
This is a good move. Now time to invest money in innovation instead of these lawsuits.
 
Last edited:
ZMacintosh

ZMacintosh

macrumors 65816
Nov 13, 2008
1,445
684
ValSalva said:
So in a sense, Amazon wins this? They get to use the phrase "App Store"?
Click to expand...

nope, not even close to an Amazon win. Like the article stated, everyone knows App Store in association with Apple.
Amazon is simply using similar terms to draw people to theirs..but in the end more people are buying from Apple's App Store.
 
BJMRamage

BJMRamage

macrumors 68030
Oct 2, 2007
2,713
1,233
I know there is confusion as I've seen people with none Apple devices think they are Apple devices and say they even buy apps from the App Store of course they have an iSomething...sorry this is an android-style device, not the same.
 
street.cory

street.cory

macrumors 6502
Oct 13, 2009
379
168
An Apple-Related Lawsuit has been dropped!

Pop the corks on the champagne!


Not saying all of the lawsuits Apple is involved with are not valid, I just wish they'd come to an end.
 
M

monkor

macrumors regular
May 25, 2012
169
1
This was definitely one of the more ridiculous lawsuits. Very few courts are going to come to the conclusion that anyone but the most dense individual gets confused between the Apple App Store and the Amazon App Store. It was a pointless lawsuit from the get-go.
 
A

akm3

macrumors 68020
Nov 15, 2007
2,252
279
ZMacintosh said:
nope, not even close to an Amazon win. Like the article stated, everyone knows App Store in association with Apple.
Amazon is simply using similar terms to draw people to theirs..but in the end more people are buying from Apple's App Store.
Click to expand...

Wrong.

Amazon wanted to call it appstore. Apple didn't want them to call it appstore.

Amazon gets to call it appstore.

Amazon wins.
 
Shrink

Shrink

macrumors G3
Feb 26, 2011
8,929
1,727
New England, USA
abz1981 said:
This is a good move. Now time to invest money in innovation instead of these law suits.
Click to expand...

So let me get this straight...when Apple is involved in lawsuits, there is no money to spend on innovation? Everybody stops working for the duration of the lawsuit?

I must assume this is the case since the sentiment expressed in the quoted post so often appears...it's either one or the other, but never both going on simultaneously.

Just guessing, here...mind you.:p

:rolleyes:
 
nick_elt

nick_elt

macrumors 68000
Oct 28, 2011
1,578
0
its not as if ppl with iphones could get mistaken and download off the amazon app store and vice versa, pointless case to start off with, its a store for apps (aplications) its far too generic to own.
 
A

abz1981

macrumors 65816
Jan 3, 2011
1,013
4
Shrink said:
So let me get this straight...when Apple is involved in lawsuits, there is no money to spend on innovation? Everybody stops working for the duration of the lawsuit?

I must assume this is the case since the sentiment expressed in the quoted post so often appears...it's either one or the other, but never both going on simultaneously.

Just guessing, here...mind you.:p

:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

lol what i mean is, that they can invest more money into other projects instead of these type of lawsuits.
 
whooleytoo

whooleytoo

macrumors 604
Aug 2, 2002
6,607
716
Cork, Ireland.
ZMacintosh said:
nope, not even close to an Amazon win. Like the article stated, everyone knows App Store in association with Apple.
Amazon is simply using similar terms to draw people to theirs..but in the end more people are buying from Apple's App Store.
Click to expand...

As ValSalva said, Amazon wins this. The lawsuit wasn't to determine who has/will have better sales, just who can use the App Store moniker. Amazon would seem to have won this battle.
 
T

TheKDub

macrumors regular
Oct 30, 2008
160
118
akm3 said:
Yes, Amazon won, Apple lost.
Click to expand...

I think it's a win/win. Both companies can stop wasting money on frivolous lawsuits as I really think the term app store/appstore is generic enough and isn't really going to draw additional customers to either company.
 
ZMacintosh

ZMacintosh

macrumors 65816
Nov 13, 2008
1,445
684
akm3 said:
Wrong.

Amazon wanted to call it appstore. Apple didn't want them to call it appstore.

Amazon gets to call it appstore.

Amazon wins.
Click to expand...

Nope. it goto the point Apple didnt care because Amazon is not really making an economic impact from AppStore. Apple is definitely onto bigger and better things.
 
R

rmwebs

macrumors 68040
Apr 6, 2007
3,140
0
gibbz said:
Tim Cook seems a lot more willing to settle and avoid these lawsuits.
Click to expand...

In this case it was very sensible given how stupid it was in the first place. There was no way in hell Apple would get the rights to take control of 'Appstore' as a term.

----------
ZMacintosh said:
nope, not even close to an Amazon win.
Click to expand...

Uh yes. It was an Amazon win. Amazon wanted to use the term - and now they can. Amazon win, regardless of how you put it. It had nothing to do with sales figures or statistics, it was the naming.

Amazon won - fact.
 
M

mbh

macrumors 6502
Jul 18, 2002
400
73
abz1981 said:
lol what i mean is, that they can invest more money into other projects instead of these type of lawsuits.
Click to expand...

You apparently have no idea how much money Apple has. Hint: they have LOTS and LOTS of money. If you think they have been holding back on R&D due to their legal budget, you're wrong.
 
R

rmwebs

macrumors 68040
Apr 6, 2007
3,140
0
ZMacintosh said:
Nope. it goto the point Apple didnt care because Amazon is not really making an economic impact from AppStore. Apple is definitely onto bigger and better things.
Click to expand...

Who the hell are you trying to fool here? We get it, you're a die hard fan of Apple, we all love Apple but we're not all so stuborn that we cant admit when Apple looses out.

The facts are:

- Amazon wanted to be able to legally use the term 'Appstore'
- Apple didn't want them to be able to do that.
- Apple gave up in the end.
- Amazon got what they wanted from the get go.

You can come up with ifs and buts all day long, but the fact is, Amazon won.
 
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