There’s no rest for the suits: just days after iCloud Communications announced it filed over the use of the iCloud name, publisher J.T. Colby and Co. has filed a suit against Apple over the use of the term “iBook.”
The publisher claims the trademark was bought from Byron Preiss Visual Publications in 2006 as part of a bankruptcy sale. Priess registered his first ISBN for an “iBook” back in 2000 and published over 1,000 titles under the “iBooks” brand.
According to Cnet, Colby’s suit acknowledges that Apple has a trademark for “iBook” related to its use on the personal computer the Mac maker sold from 1999 to 2006. However, Apple did not adopt the term to describe ebooks until 2010.
We put a line out to Apple for comment but haven’t heard back yet.
After a seven-year battle, Apple recently dropped a case where it tried to secure the “pod” trademark. In that case, the trademark tussle was over a video projector called Video Pod from entrepreneur Daniel Kokin. Apple filed oppositions against Kokin’s usage of “Pod,” alleging that it would cause customers to confuse it with Apple’s iPod products.
This recent scuffle with Amazon and Microsoft over who owns the phrase “App Store” is currently before the Trademark Trial and Appeal board. Apple was also recently named one of the world’s 10 most valuable trademarks by Forbes.
Will it never iEnd?
Via CNET
