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29th Oct 2014

Irish start-up blocks Apple from calling their latest device the ‘iWatch’

Apple has not (yet) called its latest device the iWatch and an Irish start up is behind the reason why...

JOE

Apple has not (yet) called its latest device the iWatch and an Irish start up is behind the reason why…

When Apple’s Tim Cook announced the introduction of a new ‘smartwatch’ last month a lot of people expected the device to be named the iWatch. However, the device was simply called the ‘Apple Watch,’ and for good reason too.

According to a recent Bloomberg report, “a Dublin-based software development studio owns the trademark for iWatch in the European Union, and [the company’s founder, Daniele Di Salvo] warned Apple and other companies not to use the term”.

Daniele Di Salvo’s company, Probendi, released a detailed statement on their website which reads: “The recent public announcement of ‘Apple Watch’, the new wrist wearable device/smart watch by Apple Inc., has been preceded and followed by persistent rumours identifying said product with the name ‘iWatch’.

“Probendi Limited hereby informs to be the exclusive holder of the Community trademark “iWatch” No. EU007125347, registered for computers and software effective as of August 3, 2008.

“Consequently, Probendi Limited is the sole entity lawfully entitled to use the name ‘iWatch’ for products such as ‘Apple Watch’ within the European Union, and will promptly take all appropriate legal actions to oppose any unauthorised use of ‘iWatch’ by whomever for that kind of products.”

So there you have it; yet another case of David taking on Goliath and winning. Probendi now plans on creating its very own wearable device and you probably won’t be surprised to hear that they plan on naming it the iWatch.

Via Bloomberg