Microsoft Sues Over Apple App Store Trademark

technolog.msnbc.msn.com

5 pointsnhangen5 comments

Not to be super pedantic; but they aren't suing Apple.

They've filed a motion with the USPTO to dismiss Apple's trademark filing under the grounds that it's too generic of a term to be trademarked.

I tend to agree with them, as even though I don't honestly remember anyone referring to a store selling applications as an "app store" before Apple, it feels about as trademark'able as registering "shoe store".

Good catch, I'll see if I can edit and fix.

I think this is a good thing. "App Store" is too generic a term to trademark IMHO.

On the one hand, I think it is completely ridiculous that Microsoft, maker of Windows(TM) and Office(TM) is challenging Apple(TM), maker of the Macintosh(TM), over the potential trademarking of a generic term.

Having said that... yeah, 'App Store' is too generic and shouldn't be trademarkable so Microsoft are in the right here... it is just that there's no innocent party here to really cheer on in this.

I agree with you. In fact, I was stunned, in reading this piece, to find out that they were able to do it in the first place.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com