Apple Loses Appeal in 'iPhone' Naming Rights Case in Mexico

ifone 5Apple has lost an appeal over its use of the 'iPhone' trademark in Mexico, reports The Wall Street Journal. The case has been going on for some time, but does not appear to impact Apple's ability to sell the iPhone and related services in the country.

Apple sued to have the Ifone brand revoked on grounds it had expired for the Mexican company, but a federal court found that Ifone SA, registered in 2003, was making proper use of it. The Supreme Court this week rejected Apple's appeal against the decision at the request of Ifone.

Ifone's corporate lawyer Eduardo Gallastegui said the decision frees the company to continue with its claims, already submitted to the Industrial Property Institute IMPI, for damages resulting from the use of its name by Apple and by three Mexican mobile phone service providers: America Movil unit Telcel, Spain's Telefonica SA and Grupo Iusacell.

This is not the first time that Apple has run into trademark issues with its products. Previous court cases in Brazil and China have ended in settlements.

Top Rated Comments

samcraig Avatar
144 months ago
What in Gods name is that? It's so ugly

Sorry - did you join the cell phone universe with the iPhone?

The i500 - while not pretty by today's standards was a kickass phone in its day. And certainly the "look" most phones had.

:rolleyes:
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
baryon Avatar
144 months ago
Isn't it spelt differently enough?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jontech Avatar
144 months ago
1 billion pesos settlement


or 20 dollars, whichever is greater
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bradl Avatar
144 months ago
On one hand Apple started the whole 'i' thing;
*ahem*Cisco*ahem* ;)


but iFone was started in 2003 here.....so Apple is technically wrong and should have lost this case.
This would be a proper example of prior art coming into play and prevailing; something the USPTO should take notes on.

BL.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Renzatic Avatar
144 months ago
Watch Pirates of Silicon Valley, it's dramatised but it still shows Apple have a history of being flat out ripped off by other companies and then losing in court when they try and sue over it.
I've always felt sorry for Apple. They do nothing but innovate, never harming a soul, or stepping on anyone's toes, while everyone else in the industry picks over their good works like vultures on a carcass.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bubba Satori Avatar
144 months ago
Apple should just buy Mexico.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

iOS 17.4.1 Update for iPhone is Imminent

Monday March 18, 2024 5:27 am PDT by
iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 should be released within the next few days, with a build number of 21E235, according to a source with a proven track record. MacRumors previously reported that Apple was internally testing iOS 17.4.1. As a minor update for the iPhone, it will likely address software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. It is unclear if the update will include any other changes. ...
M3 iPad Feature 3

New iPads Likely to Begin Shipping in April

Monday March 18, 2024 9:52 am PDT by
Apple's new iPad Pro models with OLED displays will likely begin shipping to customers in April, according to information shared today by Ross Young, CEO of display industry research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also said the new iPad Pro models might not ship until "deeper" into April in his Power On newsletter on Sunday:I've repeatedly said that new...
iOS 17 Passkey With Apple ACCOUNT Feature

'Apple ID' Expected to Change to 'Apple Account' Starting With iOS 18

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:13 am PDT by
MacRumors was first to report that Apple was planning to rebrand "Apple ID" to "Apple Account" across its software platforms and websites like iCloud.com as early as this year, and now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has corroborated this change. A mockup of the new Apple Account branding In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new "Apple Account" branding will start to be used later this...