Apple’s legal team has even more to keep them busy thanks to voice over IP provider iCloud Communications and a new lawsuit alleging the Mac, iPhone and iPad maker is stepping on the smaller company’s trademarks by using the iCloud name. Apple unveiled its iCloud online services last week at its annual World Wide Developers Conference in San Francisco.
iCloud Communications filed its lawsuit against Apple on June 9 in U.S. District Court in Arizona, according to CNET. The filing claimed that Apple’s use of the iCloud name will cause customer confusion over products, and that Apple is copying its name.
Apple faces lawsuit over iCloud name
“The goods and services with which Apple intends to use the ‘iCloud’ mark are identical to or closely related to the goods and services that have been offered by iCloud Communications under the iCloud Marks since its formation in 2005,” the company stated in its lawsuit. “However, due to the worldwide media coverage given to and generated by Apple’s announcement of its ‘iCloud’ services and the ensuing saturation advertising campaign pursued by Apple, the media and the general public have quickly come to associate the mark “iCloud” with Apple, rather than iCloud Communications.”
Apple’s iCloud service, set to launch this fall, replaces MobileMe and includes calendar, contact and Web bookmark syncing, iOS device data backup, online iTunes music storage, email, document syncing and online photo storage.
Apple bought the icloud.com domain earlier this year from Xcerion ahead of WWDC, and has already filed for a trademark in the European Union.
iCloud Communications is seeking an injunction to block Apple from using the iCloud name, and is also asking the court for unspecified damages.