UK TV Network ITV Has Warned Apple Against 'iTV' Name

[brucen13]

[citation][nom]drevas[/nom]"ITV may not broadcast there but it is a major content provider that sells its programs all over the world. You may have watched many of their programs without realizing where they have come from."Actually, I'm an avid fan of Brit TV. I was into the original life On Mars before anyone I know had even heard of it. That doesn't answer the question, doesn't it constitute infringement only if it causes confusion for consumers? If I'm watching ITV content without knowing it, how does that affect my decision to buy a particular TV? Where is the harm to ITV?[/citation]
You are looking at the situation from a here and now perspective. What if ITV wants to expand into other parts of the world or what if ITV begins to brand their products worldwide with the ITV moniker. If Apple was allowed to use iTV where the ITV name is not presently used, and that situation was to change in the future, then as you said, it would cause confusion for consumers. It is best to not allow the use of ITV for just that reason.

 

[Guest]

ishow

 

[drevas]

"You are looking at the situation from a here and now perspective. What if ITV wants to expand into other parts of the world or what if ITV begins to brand their products worldwide with the ITV moniker. If Apple was allowed to use iTV where the ITV name is not presently used, and that situation was to change in the future, then as you said, it would cause confusion for consumers. It is best to not allow the use of ITV for just that reason."

The problem with that logic is why you get silly patent and copyright suits. Several years ago a guy whose name was actually Sinatra opened up a cafe. Frank Sinatra, who was still alive at the time, sued over the naming of the place. Despite the fact that the guy had been born with the surname Sinatra he had to change the name of his business. Frank Sinatra did not own a cafe in the city, there were no likenesses or images of Frank Sinatra on display. In short there was no reason to think it was connected to Frank Sinatra. Still, the guy gets screwed. So by your logic, no business ever for the rest of time can use the m oniker ITV? Those letters belong to a British broadcasting company in perpetuity? If I want to market a laxative with active ingredients that can be identified by the letters ITV, I can't do it? Really?

I don't know what British law is, but I do know that here in the US it isn't that cut and dried.

 

[freggo]

[citation][nom]pjmelect[/nom]Apple has a habit of stealing English trademarked names, the name Apple itself was "stolen" from the Beatles.[/citation]

Didn't Newton have a thing with an Apple ?
Ah yes, and Adam and Eve of course.

Guess both their rights have expired after that many years 🙂