Apple Loses 'iPhone' Trademark to iFone in Mexico

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Posted November 2, 2012 at 5:28pm by iClarified

Apple has lost an injunction bid that would have allowed the company to continue selling iPhone branded devices in Mexico, reports Electronista.

A court in Mexico City handed down a ruling last Thursday denying Apple's injunction request on the grounds that the iPhone brand is too phonetically similar to iFone, a brand belonging to a Mexican company that registered its name four years prior to Apple's filing for the iPhone brand mark. The decision stems from a legal action that Apple initially filed in 2009 requesting that the company cease using the iFone brand in order to head off the possibility of consumer confusion.

The iFone trademark was registered in 2003 and the firm has sued Apple for damages valued at up to 40% of iPhone sales revenue. iFone also wants Apple to stop selling the iPhone under its current name in Mexico.

Apple Loses 'iPhone' Trademark to iFone in Mexico

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Norup58 - November 5, 2012 at 7:31pm

I agree with the other commentators saying Apple is 'out of line'. I'm all for whatever corporation protecting their brand, however, all within reason. I mean, by Apple's logic the Pope should sue Apple for using the 'apple'.

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you - November 4, 2012 at 8:28pm

finally someone hits apple back where it hurts, apple sued them and got an entire bucket load of s$%t hit them back through the fan

Josh - November 4, 2012 at 4:31pm

I'm not Mexican, but I know that "fone" can be translated to "phone" in some languages. Calm down and go outside

Jew - November 4, 2012 at 11:25am

You're right !!

Darren - November 3, 2012 at 3:48am

Then don't sell it there.

Hugo - November 2, 2012 at 11:57pm

I just hope, "Hugo Boss" don't sue for using its name. P.s. Audi, Chinga tu Madre.

isntitme - November 2, 2012 at 8:58pm

well iFone is way way more similar to iPhone then in the following cases where Apple sued a online grocery store for similar logo http://www.webpronews.com/apple-sues-online-grocery-store-over-its-logo-2012-09 or the Small German Cafe for the logo http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2055869/German-cafe-Apfelkind-logo-dispute-Apple.html if anyone fancies more google NYC GO GREEN

Verdin - November 2, 2012 at 6:25pm

And just to be clear Apple didnt lose the "iPhone" trademark. they lost the action of preventing some other company use a similar name

Verdin - November 2, 2012 at 6:21pm

Apple is still selling iPhones in Mexico with no name change. in fact iPhone 5 went on sale today and its sold out. the iFone company is a communications company, they are not selling cell phones and if we go by phonetics when you read iFone in spanish it doesnt sound nothing like iPhone, unless you say it with english tone

Larry - November 2, 2012 at 6:18pm

Jajaja!, actually in esPanish sounds ephoneé the e is not mute that's why they won... So apple pay with a lot of enchiladas...

Anonymous - November 2, 2012 at 6:00pm

It doesn't matter how it spells different.

Bob Fry - November 2, 2012 at 5:58pm

It's pronounced the same in Spanish. Clearly apple needs to pay big pesos to iFone which had the name years before.

Kev - November 2, 2012 at 5:52pm

Haha ... and the walls start crumbling down ...

justabrake - November 2, 2012 at 5:45pm

WOW what an about face for apple