Tuesday, June 14, 2011

iCloud Slaps Apple with a Lawsuit

Last week was dominated by two events, E3 and Apple’s annual WWDC. The latter included the unveiling of iCloud, Apple’s answer to cloud-based music services from Google and Amazon. However, it seems the company may have to consider a name-change. Between the iPhone and the Mighty Mouse, Apple doesn’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to choosing names already owned by someone else. Heck, the company has even been sued for its use of the name ‘Apple’ (by the Beatles, no less).
This time, Apple is facing the fire of iCloud Communications, an Arizona-based VOIP company claiming injury to its own iCloud-branding. iCloud Communications is seeking a permanent injunction to stop Apple using the iCloud name, along with "all profits, gains and advantages" and "all monetary damages sustained." So just how guilty is Apple? Well, VOIP and music streaming services are obviously different products. However, iCloud claims in the court documents that it also offers cloud computing services, too, and that Apple’s iCloud services are "identical or closely related to the goods and services that have been offered by iCloud Communications under the iCloud Marks since its formation in 2005."

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