ITV Executives Reportedly 'Furious' Over Rumored Apple TV Name Change

[DAC47]

Obviously it being The Mirror its probably 99% fabrication especially the "insider" quotes.

however if Apple did decide to re-brand the Apple TV as the iTV. I would imagine a few million quid in ITV direction would smooth things out.
Apple didn't own iPhone or iPad trade marks before the released those products and that didn't stop them.

Also it wouldn't do ITV any harm to be associated with a quality product for once.

 

[cjedj]

What a ******** stupid post. The Mirror is not a 'joke', it's just a tabloid, a scratch above The Sun, but only just. The Daily Mail is a joke. The Star is a joke. The Mirror is just a tabloid.

And you think British tabloids aren't a joke?

 

[owen-b]

ITV = Independent Television Authority
iTV = Apple Television (device)

Two different products. If your brand name is an abbreviation, don't expect nobody to ever use the same set of letters.

Sheesh. And it's a rumour anyway, they may well be getting all fired up about absolutely nothing. If they were that set in their ways, wouldn't they wait to see if Apple does bring out an iTV, then sue? Big businesses likes money.

Errr...

I'm sorry, but there is *massive* crossover between the two. Apple TV will very likely in the future be the front-end for Apple's TV provision service, slurping directly from iTunes servers. Even as it stands it's a media provision device, that connects to your TV. It is in the TV market. So is ITV, who have a number of online components too, now.

They won't be able to call it iTV over here, without a doubt. And there's no point at all in calling it iTV abroad and something else here, they'd have to publish different press releases all the time.

QED: it won't be called iTV at all, anywhere.

 

[cjedj]

If we could only discuss 'true' stories, half this forum would be closed over discussing possible future Apple products.

There's a world of difference between a rumour and something printed in the Daily Mirror. Which is what the Macrumors post was about, remember?

 

[owen-b]

And you think British tabloids aren't a joke?

They're daft, sure, but the use of the word 'joke' in the post I quoted was to say that the paper couldn't be believed, it probably had no sources, was a made-up story, whatever. And I don't think that's true: I think there's probably a fair bit of truth in the story that lawyers are discussing what to do if Apple are indeed contemplating this name change.

Personally what I think happened here is some employee who reads up on Apple stuff will have heard the rumours, passed it around, it will have got to the bigwigs who don't have a clue that it's not an actual thing that's actually happening but will feel threatened enough by the notion of Apple coming in with this TV-provision device that shares their name and they will have called the lawyers to talk about it.

I seriously doubt anyone is really 'furious' because let's face it - IT'S A RUMOUR. And they'll know that.

But someone else will see an opportunity to get some column inches and their name in the press and rung up Daily Mirror and over-exaggerated, which itself will have been extra-exaggerated by the reporter, hence the report.

That's all.

 

[adrian.oconnor]

Ha! LMAO, as they say on the internet. I can well believe these muppets think that being associated with Apple by virtue of a similar name would 'tarnish' their brand (look at iPhone 4! they cry), despite the fact that they are effectively the lowest-brow TV channel in the UK with no real reputation to speak of.

I think in reality it might work the other way -- Apple would do well to not be associated with ITV.

If I worked in the Apple TV group at Apple, I think the option I'd be most interested in testing out is TV. I think that could become quite iconic if they got the product right.

 

[kernkraft]

Those dumb asses are just jealous of Apple, crazy bastards!

Wow! You'd love ITV, not-so-well-spoken man!



What's wrong with the name of 'DailyMailTV' or 'DayTimeTV'? It's not much worse than ITV. At least Apple can show its ties to the idle people of this country.


Anyway, if the rumour is true, I cannot see Apple winning in this one. On one side, there is the most popular commercial television channel in the UK (I'm proud to say that I don't watch it). On the other, there is an Apple product that managed it with another name so far. Apple ITV is not going to happen. Not just in this country, but in others too, Apple will just have to select another name.

 

[cjedj]

They're daft, sure, but the use of the word 'joke' in the post I quoted was to say that the paper couldn't be believed, it probably had no sources, was a made-up story, whatever.
...

You've just defined British tabloids.

Ha! LMAO, as they say on the internet. I can well believe these muppets think that being associated with Apple by virtue of a similar name would 'tarnish' their brand (look at iPhone 4! they cry), despite the fact that they are effectively the lowest-brow TV channel in the UK with no real reputation to speak of.

I think in reality it might work the other way -- Apple would do well to not be associated with ITV.

If I worked in the Apple TV group at Apple, I think the option I'd be most interested in testing out is TV. I think that could become quite iconic if they got the product right.

A perfect example of why tabloid journalism is so dangerous - sometimes even smart people believe them.

 

[jc1350]

I can't stress this enough. I don't know why this got page 1 news. Mac rumors needs to have some sort of quality control.

this is macRUMORS.com, after all. Why shouldn't it fit on page 1?

 

[wonderspark]

It feels like the South Park episode where everyone sues everyone. How hard is it to do a little research and steer clear of these problems? These companies are acting like F-star-star-€unts.

 

[jeznav]

Lets see:
iPod, iPhone, iPad, iTunes, iLife, iAd, iMovie, iPhoto, iWeb, iOS...etc

iTV vs Apple TV, uTV, meTV, Mac TV ...

iThink Apple will keep this iPrefix naming consistent especially with the iDevices.

 

[rorschach]

The AirPort Express and AirPort Extreme are called AirMac Express and AirMac Extreme in Japan.

http://www.apple.com/jp/wifi/

If they really want to use that name, they'll just keep marketing it as "Apple TV" in the UK and iTV everywhere else.

 

[jayenh]

There's a world of difference between a rumour and something printed in the Daily Mirror. Which is what the Macrumors post was about, remember?

there's a world of difference in the credibility of The Mirror and random Taiwan websites where some Apple rumors start? The Mirror is pretty much junk, but it's not like they can't even be compared with some random Far East spyware filled website.

I don't think it's too hard to believe that someone from a British paper has spoken to someone at a British broadcaster, i just think they have completely blown in out of proportion, that's The Mirrors style.

 

[Adidas Addict]

I don't remember Vauxhall (GM) complaining when that Viva channel started up.

 

[Consultant]

Did you know iTV legal name is "Channel 3"??? Epic greedy law-suit seeking executive fail.

 

[Iggy]

Ummmm...don't believe a word the Mirror says please.

 

[dlastmango]

Time to go with option 2: i-Jazeera!

This made my morning.

 

[vincenz]

3 2 1 Ready Fight

 

[farmboy]

Gotta love apple fanboys. Just shut up and look at the real issue.

ITV plc owns the Trademark ITV for its TV broadcast service.
Apple want to use 'iTV' for its TV service.

I hate ITV just a much as everyone else, but opinions don't change the fact that this name is already taken. just look at the whole gmail thing (and they had, IMHO, an even weaker case)

I expect Apple TV name to continue and the iTV trademark to be forgotten about. Apple will also claim that they never intended to change names.

Are you now aware, or have you ever been aware, that the entire "real issue" is not real at all? It's a response to a rumor built on no evidence. Thanks for the gratuitous fanboy.

 

[owen-b]

Ummmm...don't believe a word the Mirror says please.

Yes, all news in tabloids is false. I didn't believe hundreds of people had died in the twin towers until I read it in the Graunead, and I'm sure you didn't either.

Face it: of course this has happened. Of course ITV lawyers have got wind of this, and of course they'll be approaching Apple to see what's what. And of course someone leaked the story to their mate that works at the Mirror because it's some SCANDAL, right?

I know I'm getting all het up over you lot, but why are you lot getting all het up about this story? Jesus, you're all so fricking possessive of 'your' website with all this proclaiming "GET THIS STORY OFF THE FRONT PAGE MACRUMORS" and your whining and arguing and petty name calling.

Pr***s.

 

[Polo5]

ITV = Independent Television Authority Who?

They should be thankful, if apple changes its name to iTV their website will probably get more hits (by mistake) but at least their stats will go up

 

[yegon]

Whether or not you are an Apple supporter or ITV hater is totally beside the point. Let's take this example:

Apple come up with a new gadget, and they want to call it bBC. Could they use the name? No, a big fat NO.

Therefore, iTV for the AppleTV is not going to happen guys.

This. Much of this story, from the original claim of the name iTV, to anything in the scandal rag that is the Mirror, may indeed all be fake/wrong. However, IF it were true, you have to be a special kind of bellend to think Apple are in the right here.

Note: I say that as a fan of Apple, and someone who despises 99% of ITV's appalling output.

 

[q64ceo]

Well, if I know British legal culture (and I think I do) they'll have meeting after meeting, waste hour upon hour, only to decide that there's enough difference between "ITV" and "iTV" to warrant having any suit tossed out. In the end, ITV won't want to spend the money to pursue it.

Tell that to the World Wrestling Entertainment, once known as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), until they were sued by the World Wildlife Fund. They should have had you as their lawyer.

 

[NogbadTheBad]

Its so funny how Apple get so s***ty about people using their trademarks or even anything that starts with a lower case i, yet they so freely try and use others companies trademarks.

However I did laugh at the "We all take our ITV brand very seriously"

 

[cjedj]

there's a world of difference in the credibility of The Mirror and random Taiwan websites where some Apple rumors start? The Mirror is pretty much junk, but it's not like they can't even be compared with some random Far East spyware filled website.

The Daily Mirror has a long and well-documented history of printing stories which are completely untrue. They've been successfully sued for it countless times, and their track-record is on one of sleaze, corruption, libel and slander.

Comparing it to a fictional website is pointless and a false argument. The fact is the source for the post on Macrumors has been proven to be uncredible and unreliable over and over again. So no, based on everything else that I read on here, I don't expect to see their kind of crap appearing on page one of this site.