In addition to filing for a trademark on the term "iWatch" in Russia and Japan on June 3, we have discovered that Apple filed for a trademark in Taiwan, which follows a report from 9to5Mac that Apple filed in Mexico as well, bringing the total number of trademark filings to four.
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In both iWatch trademark filings discovered today, Apple Inc. is listed as the company behind the requests and the company’s Infinite Loop address in Cupertino, California is included on the applications. The filing in Mexico was submitted via Mexico-based law firm Arochi, Marroquín, & Linder, S.C, which has worked with Apple on other product trademarks.
News of the iWatch, which is one possible name for Apple's rumored smart watch, first surfaced in late 2012 and was followed by a patent application for a wraparound-style “wearable video device” in February.
According to reports, Apple has a team of 100 product designers working on the watch, which may include a 1.5–2.0 inch OLED display along with biometrics, iPod nano touch technology, and the ability to interact with existing iOS devices.
While it has been suggested that Apple's smart watch could launch later this year, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has instead targeted a late 2014 release date for the iWatch, suggesting that Apple is not quite ready to ramp up production for a 2013 debut.
Update: Apple also appears to have filed for an iWatch trademark in Turkey through Pinar Arikan, an attorney who has worked with the company in the past. While the filing does not list Apple as the applicant, it was filed on the same June 3 date as the other applications.
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Update 2: Apple has also filed for the mark in Colombia and Chile.
Update 3: A tipster has also pointed us to a filing in India, bringing the total number of international filings discovered so far to nine, including the original December 2012 application in Jamaica that Apple is using to establish priority.
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Top Rated Comments
There has been a variety of unsuccessful smartwatches in the past. Nothing major but the situation is similar to the iPad and the pre-iPad "tablet PCs".
If the past repeats itself again, competitors following Apple in the smartwatch trend should still make mistakes in their first iterations and take like 2-3 years to catch up. That's enough for Apple to make some $ and secure itself the advantages associated with a good marketshare for the future (large app selection, third party accessories, content deals)...
And Apple targets average consumers, not millionaires and celebrities. They market themselves as the premium brand but not a luxury brand.
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