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Can Audi sue Apple for using "A4"?

Hard case to make out, though if I was putting it together I'd try something along the lines of the A4 being a world leading indentity for performance and reliability, and that Apple were using the identity to reinforce their own product. From there draw out the similarities, speed et al.

Not saying it would get very far, but I'm sure there are some cross industry cases out there. Anyone that answers yes or no to a legal question isn't much of a lawyer :)
 
I find this crazy really. The A4 is ONE component in the iPad, it is not like it is called the iPad A4 or even the Apple A4. It's like having a resistor with a brand name of Kellogg's, it ain't gonna make two hoots of a difference.

I mean come on, are Apple really going to call a component within their new 'flagship' product after a family car. It would be the A8 or the Veyron if they wanted to link their processor to a car!
 
Trademark law (at least in the U.S.) is pretty clear.

If you are using a word that you didn't invent yourself, you can only protect it in the market your product is in. That's why there is a "Ford Dry Cleaners" in my town, and Ford Motor Company can't do anything about it. Different market, no crossover, no infringement.

Only with invented words (Kodak, Pentium, Miata,) can you protect the name against all use. (So, no "Pentium bakery" or "Kodak roadster" unless you have permission from Intel or Kodak.)

But, just because the law is pretty clear doesn't mean companies won't try to sue. They just usually get thrown out. Either that, or the larger company assumes that because they're larger, the smaller company will fold without a fight. (As Sun did with "Java" a few years back, suing coffee shops for having "Java" in their name. Needless to say, once publicity of Sun's lawsuits started getting out, Sun stopped.)

In this case, I doubt Audi will even make an attempt. Now if Apple comes out with a car named the A4, yeah, Audi will sue. (Heck, the airplane manufacturer Gulfstream never sued Apple over the use of the "G3", "G4", or "G5"... Nor Canon for the PowerShot G5, nor Logitech for the G5 mouse, etc.)
 
OllyW said:
You wouldn't think you could confuse a company that makes computer and electronic products with a very large city or a grocery store but it didn't stop Apple. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Neither of those were lawsuits, they were trademark application objections, and in all fairness, Apple (or any other concern with a recognizable trademark) pretty much has to file these objections each and every time because that sets precedent and a pattern of "defense" of the trademark. That way, when someone actually does infringe, the original holder has a stronger claim.

Granted, confusion is unlikely to a reasonable person, but unfortunately these things have to be approached from the perspective of the least reasonable (and most easily confused) consumer—and there are some truly monumental fools out there.
 
If Audi did then I think theydve sued ARM by now, since it has used A8 before. (And +1 to the dude who said call the Quad cores Quattros - they so should).
 
I've had an A4 in the past and I thought that it was great to steal the name from the paper size.
 
JNB said:
Neither of those were lawsuits, they were trademark application objections, and in all fairness, Apple (or any other concern with a recognizable trademark) pretty much has to file these objections each and every time because that sets precedent and a pattern of "defense" of the trademark. That way, when someone actually does infringe, the original holder has a stronger claim.

Granted, confusion is unlikely to a reasonable person, but unfortunately these things have to be approached from the perspective of the least reasonable (and most easily confused) consumer—and there are some truly monumental fools out there.
Click to expand...

As my former math professor demonstrated through an in-class story, a common sense is really not that common. :)
 
If Apple limits the new iPhone to 4 rings then Audi may have a case...
 
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