Apple Loses Trademark Claim Against iFone in Mexico

sfcrazy writes "Apple is having trouble in Mexico right before the holiday season. The company has lost rights to the name iPhone in the country, as it was already owned by a Mexican telecom company called iFone (Google translation of Spanish original). iFone registered its trademark in 2003, four years before Apple iPhone was launched. In 2009, Apple filed a complaint with the Mexican Industrial Property Institute demanding that iFone stop using is name because it could confuse users. That claim was since denied, and iFone is looking to turn the tables."

Maybe

[jasper160]

Ay Phone!

Confusing much?

[Anonymous Coward]

"(...) Apple filed a complaint with the Mexican Industrial Property Institute demanding that iFone stop using is name because it could confuse users."

Confuse users? If they're worried about users getting confused, they should start with refining iOS 6 Maps...

Might as well switch the name in Mexico to:

[DikSeaCup]

yoPhone!

Re:Brief story...

[Andy Prough]

You are hipster royalty in a way, I guess.

Re:Wait a second.

[partyguerrilla]

Yes we maintain several judicial facilities powered by burros and corruption.

Re:Didn't Do The Research

[ByOhTek]

Ahh, you seem to think they are mutually exclusive.

You've obviously never met my ex-girlfriend...

Re:Wait a second.

[Greyfox]

We're... we're not so different after all!

Re:Didn't Do The Research

[gedeco]

I cannot wait until Apple claims the rights to the word iDIOT....

Re:Maybe

[antdude]

Or YoPhone. ;)

Re:Maybe

[Kielistic]

iDios mio

Re:Didn't Do The Research

[omnichad]

And then gets sued by the Illinois Department of Transportation because of brand confusion. I mean, half the state may be mispronouncing their abbreviation already, and introducing a product with that actual name will be confusing to consumers.

Re:Maybe

[Guignol]

iMisHijos

Re:Confusing much?

[spyke252]

How do you think Apple's lawyers got to Mexico in the first place? "Siri, get me directions from Cupertino to Mountain View..."

Re:So what is the iPhone going to be called, then?

[jenningsthecat]

But seriously, what will it be called?

Since it's an Apple product, call it the aPhone.

The docking port? That's the aHole...

Re:Didn't Do The Research

[mrstrano]

I think you can safely assume that most people on the Internet have, in fact, not met your ex-girlfriend. Unless you broke up because of some egregious case of cheating.

Re:Didn't Do The Research

[NoSleepDemon]

Consider yourself lucky that you're even still alive, I heard she convinced some poor geek from Toronto to take out seven of those ex's!