Apple's Beats brand in April unveiled the Powerbeats Pro, a redesigned wire-free version of its popular fitness-oriented Powerbeats earbuds.
Apple Likely Trying to File for 'AirPods' Trademark
Apple may be taking steps to protect the name "AirPods," based on recent trademark filings in a number of countries. While Apple itself is not directly linked to these applications, the pattern of filings is consistent with Apple's usual strategy and MacRumors believes Apple is indeed responsible for them.
A trademark application for "AirPods" was made in the United States on September 22 by a company called Entertainment in Flight, LLC, a Delaware firm housed at the Corporation Trust Center, a strategy Apple has used a number of times in the past to hide its trademark work. The company was created in early September and appears to have no visible operations other than last week's trademark filing.
We have been unable to find a concrete link between Apple and the AirPods trademark, but the evidence we've gathered is highly suggestive that Apple is indeed behind the filing. Assuming this is indeed the case, speculation then turns to the reasons why Apple is interested in the name.
The trademark filing in International Class 9 includes mention of audio accessories, earphones, microphones, wireless communication devices, and similar types of products, and with Apple already calling its existing line of earphones "EarPods" it seems reasonable to speculate the "AirPods" name could be intended for a wireless version of the company's earphones.
Other circumstantial evidence pointing toward Apple being behind the filing includes:
- Citing a March trademark application in Jamaica as a priority date for the registration. Apple commonly files first in Jamaica to establish its claim on a trademark, as the country does not maintain an online trademark database, making it easier for Apple and other companies to hide such filings.
- Use of a Gmail account on contact information. Apple's shell companies almost always use Gmail addresses based on the companies' names for their filings, and this is the case with Entertainment in Flight.
- International trademark filings made by known Apple-associated law firms. Alongside the U.S. filing, Entertainment in Flight made similar filings in a number of other countries around the world, and in each case used the services of law firms previously used by Apple and other known Apple shell companies to handle the filings: Locke Lord in the European Union, Bryn Aaflot in Norway, Baker & McKenzie in Australia and Canada, and attorney Pinar Arikan in Turkey.
The European filing covers two additional classes of trademarks: Class 38 for "transmission of digital audio, video and multimedia content" and Class 41 for "entertainment services" such as non-downloadable media and reviews and recommendations of entertainment content.
A trademark application for "AirPods" was made in the United States on September 22 by a company called Entertainment in Flight, LLC, a Delaware firm housed at the Corporation Trust Center, a strategy Apple has used a number of times in the past to hide its trademark work. The company was created in early September and appears to have no visible operations other than last week's trademark filing.
We have been unable to find a concrete link between Apple and the AirPods trademark, but the evidence we've gathered is highly suggestive that Apple is indeed behind the filing. Assuming this is indeed the case, speculation then turns to the reasons why Apple is interested in the name.
The trademark filing in International Class 9 includes mention of audio accessories, earphones, microphones, wireless communication devices, and similar types of products, and with Apple already calling its existing line of earphones "EarPods" it seems reasonable to speculate the "AirPods" name could be intended for a wireless version of the company's earphones.Audio components and accessories; sound recording and reproducing apparatus; digital video recorders and players; remote control apparatus; audio speakers; earphones, headphones; microphones; voice recording and recognition apparatus; radios, radio transmitters, and receivers; handheld digital electronic devices and software related thereto; wireless communication devices for voice, data or image transmission; electrical and electronic connectors, couplers, wires, cables, chargers, docks, docking stations, interfaces, and adapters for use with all of the aforesaid goodsApple of course already offers several models of wireless earphones and headphones through its Beats brand, but Apple has so far kept the Beats hardware brand separate from its own and may prefer to offer a wireless earphone option under its own brand and styling.
Other circumstantial evidence pointing toward Apple being behind the filing includes:
- Citing a March trademark application in Jamaica as a priority date for the registration. Apple commonly files first in Jamaica to establish its claim on a trademark, as the country does not maintain an online trademark database, making it easier for Apple and other companies to hide such filings.
- Use of a Gmail account on contact information. Apple's shell companies almost always use Gmail addresses based on the companies' names for their filings, and this is the case with Entertainment in Flight.
- International trademark filings made by known Apple-associated law firms. Alongside the U.S. filing, Entertainment in Flight made similar filings in a number of other countries around the world, and in each case used the services of law firms previously used by Apple and other known Apple shell companies to handle the filings: Locke Lord in the European Union, Bryn Aaflot in Norway, Baker & McKenzie in Australia and Canada, and attorney Pinar Arikan in Turkey.
The European filing covers two additional classes of trademarks: Class 38 for "transmission of digital audio, video and multimedia content" and Class 41 for "entertainment services" such as non-downloadable media and reviews and recommendations of entertainment content.
Related Roundup: AirPods 2
Tags: trademark, AirPods Guide
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Buy Now)
[ 94 comments ]
Top Rated Comments
(View all)
51 months ago
This means Apple will skip the car and go straight to a flying personal transport device.
51 months ago
If they kill the headphone jack, I'm going to flip. I only use bluetooth for exercise. The fidelity and latency just aren't there yet.
51 months ago
Maybe the Apple car is going to be a pod-like flying vehicle. Climb into your Apple AirPod and off you go!
51 months ago
"If we eliminate the headphone jack, we can make the phone .1 mm thinner!" - Apple
"Just leave it alone and add .1 mm of battery." - everyone else
"Just leave it alone and add .1 mm of battery." - everyone else
51 months ago
If they kill the headphone jack, I'm going to flip. I only use bluetooth for exercise. The fidelity and latency just aren't there yet.
Who said anything about bluetooth? Maybe it's a new type of wireless communication protocol that blows bluetooth out of the park. And if the headphone can chargeable through the lightning port and offer (like the pencil) 30 minutes of use for 15 seconds of charge, it would be revolutionary. Maybe it'd also be water proof. Who knows?
51 months ago
I'm so pumped for iPhone 7! :cool:
Possible water resistant body, and now AirPods!
GOD DAMN THIS ENTIRE YEAR LONG WAIT!!
Possible water resistant body, and now AirPods!
GOD DAMN THIS ENTIRE YEAR LONG WAIT!!
51 months ago
Makes sense for when Apple eventually removes the headphone port. I mean, it's not like I want it to happen, but you just know it's gonna happen.
[ Read All Comments ]
Apple today sent out emails to customers about its latest Apple Pay promo, which will see the company donating $10 to the National Park Foundation for Apple Pay purchases made from the Apple...
We're just a few weeks away from the unveiling of this year's iPhone lineup as well as the official release of iOS 13 and Apple's other new operating system versions, and we're...
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with RAVPower to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a 61W USB-C Power Adapter and a USB-C to Lightning cable, which can be used to fast charge...
Satechi this summer launched its first HomeKit-compatible product, the Dual Smart Outlet, a HomeKit plug that turns dumb appliances and electronics into smart electronics that can work alongside...
As we head into the weekend, there are a few notable deals going on today that include an all-new MacRumors exclusive offer from Eve, Best Buy's anniversary sale with lowest-ever iPad prices, and...
Version 7 of Heart Analyzer was released today, and the popular third-party heart-rate app for iPhone and Apple Watch has gained some additional features for users looking for even deeper insight...
Apple today seeded the seventh beta of watchOS 6, the software that runs on the Apple Watch. The new beta comes a week after the sixth beta and two months after Apple first unveiled the new watchOS...
Apple today seeded seventh beta of an upcoming tvOS 13 update to developers, one week after seeding the sixth beta and two months after unveiling the tvOS 13 software at the Worldwide Developers...
