Firm Launches 'IPHONE' Brand of Android Phones, Touts Trademark Ownership in Brazil

Brazilian electronics maker IGB Electronica SA has announced a new line of Android phones under the IPHONE brand, a trademark that was originally applied for in Brazil in 2000.

NewImageFrom Reuters:

The first model will be called "Neo One," IGB said in a securities filing. The company was formed this year after the restructuring of Gradiente Eletronica SA, which had applied for exclusive rights in Brazil to register its products under the name IPHONE in 2000.

Apple will either file a lawsuit, or perhaps more likely, begin negotiations for a settlement deal.

Apple was involved in a similar trademark issue in China, with Proview owning the "iPad" trademark. Apple ended up paying that company $60 million to gain control of the 'iPad' trademark.

Brazil is an important country for Apple. The company has begun hiring for new Apple Stores in the country, which would be its first locations in South America and Apple and Foxconn have begun iPad and iPhone production there.

Finally, Apple CEO Tim Cook has said in the past that Brazil is the company's next big target after China.

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
icloud private relay outage

iCloud Private Relay Experiencing Outage

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...

Top Rated Comments

notjustjay Avatar
152 months ago
So, this is just a blatant money grab, right?
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Unggoy Murderer Avatar
152 months ago
Android sure does look dull... :rolleyes:
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xkmxkmxlmx Avatar
152 months ago
Just let them have the name and call it the Apple phone, and watch it still get destroyed.

You've likely never tried it.


A money grab? If they had the name since 2000 how can it really be a money grab?

Yeah, and 13 years later they decide to put out a phone :rolleyes:
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GoldenJoe Avatar
152 months ago
Android manufacturers copying Apple? Unheard of.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GoCubsGo Avatar
152 months ago
Android sure does look dull... :rolleyes:

You've likely never tried it.


A money grab? If they had the name since 2000 how can it really be a money grab?
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Psychj0e Avatar
152 months ago
This is what you get when an American company tries to bring jobs to Brazil's tortured economy. I'd tell the Brazilian government to handle it or I'd pull out every job I was planning on bringing there and dump them in whatever country is closest that isn't full of cheating pricks. Hell, I'd pull the iPhone itself from the country. In the rest of the world we get the iPhone, but in Brazil you get the cheesy piece of crap IPHONE. Congrats, the world thinks you are morons.


It's probably glaringly obvious to most, but this attitude right here is why most people in the world don't like Americans. I'd even go as far to say in most other nations minds, it's not Brazil who are morons.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)