Microsoft Hires Linguist to Oppose Apple's 'App Store' Trademark

[whooleytoo]

Application store. Software store. If you want to use the word store. But there is no need to. App Market is clear enough, isn't it? A market is a friendly, open place where you buy a variety of things at good prices, not walled in and regulated like a store. I'd say "Welcome to App Market, the place where you find all the software you need".

I'm not sure anyone would use the terms 'Application' or 'Software' in relation to phone apps. If someone asked me where they could buy software for their phone, I'd be genuinely confused as to what they meant.

I guess the question I'm asking is: does there need to be a generic phrase to describe app stores, which can't be trademarked? If you were to say "App Store and (say) App Market are app stores", what else would you call them if not app store? And if someone trademarked "Application Store", does that mean that name can't be used? (And am I right in thinking that if Apple wins, the term "app store" can't be used descriptively?)

Ok, that's 4 questions not 1!

 

[Vegasman]

Again why cant MS just call is their MobileApp store?

They don't want to call their store "MobileApp" because they already have a store. It's called "Marketplace".

They would however like to describe their store that called "Marketplace" by saying that it is a store that sells apps. You know, an app store.

 

[israelagm]

XP shows them with the same names, but it's irrelevant to the discussion at hand. There is no "App Store" in the screenshot.

Shows what with the same names?

And I think it is relevant to the entire discussion. IF they have never used 'applications' in a 'general' or specific way on any type of their OSs then why pick a fight over Apple's use of AppStore, who have been using the term 'Applications' in their OSs and in their ecosystem and brand recognition lingo.

And your right, you don't see an 'App Store' in this screenshot or on any Windows OS or mobile OS.

EDIT: NVM! as noted by logandzwon "Anything ending in .exe will have the same description." Which makes my argument weak and mute.

 

[Vegasman]

In the Windows world, it would be a Program Store. Look at any Windows computer and there's nothing called an application or an app. MS claims to have, like 95% of the desktop market. How would the gazillion Windows users out there even know what an "app" was? They've had zero exposure to it, it's a totally foreign term. Wait a minute, it's an Apple term that is coming into common usage and now MS might have to change their language to get rid of the goofy term "program", conceding defeat, so its usage must be stopped or curtailed. That's what this is really about.

Please see screenshots above.

 

[blahblah100]

In the Windows world, it would be a Program Store. Look at any Windows computer and there's nothing called an application or an app. MS claims to have, like 95% of the desktop market. How would the gazillion Windows users out there even know what an "app" was? They've had zero exposure to it, it's a totally foreign term. Wait a minute, it's an Apple term that is coming into common usage and now MS might have to change their language to get rid of the goofy term "program", conceding defeat, so its usage must be stopped or curtailed. That's what this is really about.

As others have pointed out (repeatedly), Windows does actually refer to what you call 'Programs' as applications. For example, right click on a 'program' shortcut. On the short-cut, what does it say for the "target type?"

Since you seem to have trouble reading so-far, I'll give you a hint: it says "Application."

It's been this way since <at least> Windows XP.

Edit: Actually, I just looked at some really old KB articles from Microsoft, MS-Dos 'programs' were also referred to as "applications."

 

[cube]

It looks descriptive to you because there is an App Store for your Mac and there is an App Store for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. If Apple hadn't invented the term "App Store" and used it for its super successful site, you would never have heard the term, and you wouldn't know what it means.

Yes, you know what an "app store" means if you know what an "app" means.

Does an "app" mean an Apple program?

As others have pointed out (repeatedly), Windows does actually refer to what you call 'Programs' as applications. For example, right click on a 'program' shortcut. On the short-cut, what does it say for the "target type?"

Since you seem to have trouble reading so-far, I'll give you a hint: it says "Application."

It's been this way since <at least> Windows XP.

It's doesn't matter what MS calls it. There's a class of programs everywhere called "applications". There's no other name for it.

Applications are a strict subset of programs.

 

[cube]

deleted

 

[rloechner]

Actually M$ its:

"App Store"

Take that.

 

[Tailpike1153]

App market?

Program Store?

Program Market?

App Hub?

App Universe?

App Base?

Tool Shed?

Imagination?

Hello?

I'm kinda partial to Microsoft Galaxy (trademark pending) and Pool o' Cool.

 

[dolph0291]

I think he used iTunes as an example because it is something that Mac users would be familliar with as opposed to some other application that you would look at and say "WTF is that?"

Anyway, an .exe in Windows is refered to as an "application". A "program" is a collection of files that includes one or more .exe and possibly other files. This has been the case since Windows XP (possibly earlier).

An .exe is an executable, not an application. Some people may have called them applications, but not MS. Never. Until now.

 

[logandzwon]

So answer my 2nd question.

Why not just have call is the Mobile App Store? or WindApp store?
Why does MS need to copy Apple and just call it App Store?

Hey, wait, I'm on the side Apple should keep the TM...

But, to directly answer your questions, I think Apple answered it awhile ago;

 

[ericmooreart]

As posted above, "RoomStore" is trademarked, however.

Notice how its 1 word. "RoomStore". Room Store wouldn't fly. Its the little things

 

[Lone Deranger]

They are bothered because they want to be able to describe their app store. They want to be able to say:

"We have this thing called Marketplace. What is it? Well, it's a place where you can by apps. Think of it as a grocery store for apps. You know, an app store."

But MS never consistently used the term App to describe any part of their business. Sure it pops up occasionally here and there, almost at random, but that's about it. Historically they've always used 'Programs'. So to use your example, why couldn't they say: "We have this thing called Marketplace. What is it? Well, it's a place where you can buy programs.....". Why are they not happy with that? It will line up so much better with their software genealogy.

I suspect the truth of the matter is they now want to start using 'App' for everything (instead of Programs), because Apple has popularized the term. Its on everybody's tongue now. And MS wants in on it. They want their stuff to be associated with the buzz that Apple created. That's borderline parasitic to me.

 

[Vegasman]

It looks descriptive to you because there is an App Store for your Mac and there is an App Store for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. If Apple hadn't invented the term "App Store" and used it for its super successful site, you would never have heard the term, and you wouldn't know what it means.

Uh!? Anytime someone tells me there is a YYYY store, my first reaction is that it is a store that sells YYYY's. It is no different with an app store.

What would one buy at a record store?
What would one buy at a grocery store?
What would one buy at a paint store?
What would one buy at an app store?

 

[Vegasman]

As posted above, "RoomStore" is trademarked, however.

But they don't sell rooms. They sell furniture. The app store sells apps.

 

[cube]

Notice how its 1 word. "RoomStore". Room Store wouldn't fly. Its the little things

When would "Room Store" not fly? For a hotel?

 

[OneMammoth]

IMO it's like Publix or Kroger trying to claim the rights to "grocery store."

Or maybe more like if McDonald's tried to claim the rights to "burgers."

good point

 

[KnightWRX]

As posted above, "RoomStore" is trademarked, however.

As posted above, "RoomStore" doesn't sell rooms.

 

[David305]

as I type this reply, using Safari, I open and close different "windows" on my iMac.

 

[cube]

But MS never consistently used the term App to describe any part of their business. Sure it pops up occasionally here and there, almost at random, but that's about it. Historically they've always used 'Programs'. So to use your example, why couldn't they say: "We have this thing called Marketplace. What is it? Well, it's a place where you can buy programs.....". Why are they not happy with that? It will line up so much better with their software genealogy.

I suspect the truth of the matter is they now want to start using 'App' for everything (instead of Programs), because Apple has popularized the term. Its on everybody's tongue now. And MS wants in on it. They want their stuff to be associated with the buzz that Apple created. That's borderline parasitic to me.

Then why doesn't Apple just trademark the word "App"?

 

[KnightWRX]

An .exe is an executable, not an application. Some people may have called them applications, but not MS. Never. Until now.

See the screenshot posted all over this thread. Application has been used to described the filetype associated with .EXE in Windows Explorer for quite a while.

The fact is, Application has been in use in the Windows world forever. Win16 and Win32 are APIs and API means Application Programming Interface.

This is all besides the point, Apple is not trying to trademark Application or App. They are trying to trademark Grocery Store to sell their Groceries.

as I type this reply, using Safari, I open and close different "windows" on my iMac.

It's a good thing then that Microsoft's trademark on "Windows" does not apply to the graphical squares you see on screen but to Operating Systems then.

 

[blahblah100]

An .exe is an executable, not an application. Some people may have called them applications, but not MS. Never. Until now.

Again, you are wrong.

 

[Vegasman]

An .exe is an executable, not an application. Some people may have called them applications, but not MS. Never. Until now.

Never? Until now?

Please!

exe's were refered to as applications for over a decade. As has been demonstrated in THIS thread may times already.

 

[iliketyla]

I agree that app store is a very generic term, but in order to avoid all the legal troubles and the money and time lost, why not just create your own name?

As someone mentioned earlier, Android did it, and I have never told someone to go to the app store on an Android phone.

I always direct them to the Android Market.

 

[logandzwon]

Yes, you know what an "app store" means if you know what an "app" means.

Does an "app" mean an Apple program?



It's doesn't matter what MS calls it. There's a class of programs everywhere called "applications". There's no other name for it.

Applications are a strict subset of programs.

So, here is an interesting argument, as app is short for Applications, and Applications are a strict subset of programs, doesn't the App Store technically sell Programs, not Apps? Thus, the term is no generic at all. "Program Store" would the generic term. It's the same as a club called "Liqueur Store" (which is TMed.)