Apple Sued Over iCloud Trademark

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Posted June 10, 2011 at 5:53pm by iClarified Staff

In a suit filed yesterday in the US District Court in Arizona, a company named iCloud Communications has claimed trademark infringements against Apple over the iCloud name.

iCloud Communications LLC is claiming that Apple's heavy promotion of the iCloud product is damaging its business and has removed the branding of the name and placed it onto Apple. To make matters worse, iClouds Communication's services are nearly identical to the ones offered by Apple.

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. 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.

There is no specific amount of monetary relief set, but the suit does call for “all profits, gains and advantages” as well as “all monetary damages sustained”. The suit also asks Apple to refrain from using the iCloud name and to “deliver for destruction all labels, signs, prints, insignia, letterhead, brochures, business cards, invoices and any other written or recorded material” with the iCloud name.

It will be interesting to see how Apple responds to these allegations.

Read More [iCloud Complaint]

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Mr yogi - June 11, 2011 at 8:45pm

If I was icloud communication and I can sue apple for millions I'd do it. Shoot I'd even sell the company to apple. With all the millions I made from apple I'll just start a new and better company or just retire haha

Justin Simon - June 11, 2011 at 10:13am

LOL iCloud communications is a Voip company. They do not share any of the same services. How do they compair voip phone service to iCloud by apple which stores peoples data (pics, music, apps, etc) in the cloud? This case has no ground to stand on!

eduard - June 11, 2011 at 6:28am

Look carefully at the embedd suit: It says "I Cloud" not iCloud. I assume the latter was conveniently added, but does this turn it into a trademark?

Junaid - June 11, 2011 at 3:16am

Apple will sue them back for using "i", as i is purely for apple, lolzzzz, then that company will say i i i i i i i

DacksMac - June 10, 2011 at 9:50pm

I hope Apple doesn't go out of business, I hope they settle :/

Castro - June 10, 2011 at 7:14pm

Why did that company name their company iCloud communications? Is it because they saw the potential of marketing of an "i" name when they saw the iPhone? Maybe apple will counter sue for profits gained from the company trying to use Apple's polarity for the growth of iCloud communications.

sam - June 10, 2011 at 7:59pm

man, the iphone was released in 2007... and the company was already formated in 2005

Castro - June 10, 2011 at 11:43pm

Ok then iPod that one came our in 2001. My point being that they did not come out calling the company "i"cloud communication because it was cool. They used Apple's popularity to create their own business. I'm sure they new what they were doing. They just want some attention, hence nobody knew who they were now everybody who has read this forum knows what they basically do.

Bob - June 10, 2011 at 6:43pm

They'll probably just buy them out too.

Mr yogi - June 10, 2011 at 6:21pm

Vertical integration!!!!! Lol

gentster - June 10, 2011 at 5:59pm

Apple will respond the same way as it responded when it decided to use the name iPhone. Only, in this case it's dealing with a much smaller player, so it'll flex it's muscles and run these guys out of business.

Steve Jobs - June 10, 2011 at 6:40pm

nah they will pay settlement