Apple May Lose Its Brazilian iPhone Trademark Next Week

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Posted February 7, 2013 at 2:14am by Shalom Levytam

Apple will reportedly lose the rights to use the 'iPhone' trademark in Brazil next week, according to Reuters. The site has heard from a source familiar with the decision that the country's copyright regulator will grant the trademark to a local company that registered it first.

Gradiente Eletronica SA, a Brazilian consumer electronics maker, registered the "iphone" name in 2000, seven years before Apple launched its now virally popular smartphone. The Brazilian Institute of Intellectual Property will officially announce its decision on Feb 13, the source said.

Notably, the company has announced plans to begin selling a line of Android smartphones under the brand 'IPHONE'.

Apple may choose to challenge the ruling in Brazilian courts or settle with the company who has said, "We’re open to a dialogue for anything, anytime. We’re not radicals."

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Apple May Lose Its Brazilian iPhone Trademark Next Week

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Mike Power - February 10, 2013 at 3:07pm

Somewhere in the jungle lies the real inventor of the iphone, and only because he was paid a lum sum he is still hiding way deep into the woods of the amazons, but that lum sum is running out, so it's time to come out and threaten again, for more dough so Apple-Crapple be prepared for that 100Billion pay-out, not the 8 dollars you gave out first(like when Manhattan was bought out for 8 bucks from the Indians )so Feb 13 is the due date or el se Android will rule the world.

justabrake - February 7, 2013 at 11:57pm

Pay the 50 million

John - February 7, 2013 at 3:29pm

Yea that's true, I'm from Brazil, Gradiente requested the iphone brand early 2000 but INPI institute took 8 years to grant it, so when apple came to Brazil there was no trademark.. in 2008-2011 Gradiente was in 'serious financial problems' and did not bother at the time, but now they want to sell a phone, called 'Gradiente IPhone'

John - February 7, 2013 at 3:38pm

Gradiente, also, made a video on youtube explaining it- but of course, it is in portuguese Lol. /watch?v=RkRf6Gv4NtU

Jowell - February 7, 2013 at 9:11am

it will be, Apple iPhone iOS ~ against ~ Gradiente iPhone Android. *justsayin* :P:)

Audi RS8 - February 7, 2013 at 6:30am

nice Brazil... Apple, please learn that the name is nothing creative neither innovating like u guys says that apple is creative and innovating!!! not at all years before they came up with iPhone name other ppl were more creative and more, so apple deal with it! I'm excited to see an Android phone with name iPhone... and I'm apple user and lover but just the fact that apple thinking is all that and suing sucks and I disagree......

maxrkes - February 7, 2013 at 6:13am

if they will lose they will just buy that company.

Great - February 7, 2013 at 3:29am

Apple should let them sell android phones and sit back and watch customers sue that company when people unwittingly buy the "iPhones".

Tim Cook - February 7, 2013 at 4:49am

There won't be a sue, if the name is there's.... At that point it's the customers fault. When you go Walmart and buy a pen that's blue ink, and then go to target and buy a pen that's red ink and thinking your going to get blue ink... Well that's your own stupidity they didnt lie to you.

jose - February 7, 2013 at 2:54am

wow -_- that's very contradictive lol android phone with the iPhone name xD either way it's crazy

Timmy O-Toole - February 7, 2013 at 2:29am

what's it got to do with Aussies?