Sihai network

Apple smart watch "Iwatch" enters the Chinese market or suffers from trademark problems

Recently, apple is applying for the trademark of its smart watch "Iwatch" in many places around the world, including Japan, Mexico and Taiwan. Reporters found that in Chinese mainland,'iWatch'trademark has been registered by other companies, but it has expired, but there is similar trademark'iWatching' has been registered successfully. This means that in the future, Apple's Iwatch may encounter obstacles in disputes. The reporter called Apple China and the other side didn't comment.

The query results show that 9 enterprises have registered Iwatch successively, and 3 of them have applied for watches and computer peripherals. Their categories conflict with those of Apple's product Iwatch. However, China Trademark network also shows that the trademark status of these three enterprises is currently in the invalid status. "At present, the & lsquo; Iwatch & rsquo; trademarks of these three companies are in invalid status, so at present, the & lsquo; Iwatch & rsquo; trademarks are in a vacuum period, and any enterprise or individual can apply according to the procedures, and apple can do the same.". Guo Guozhong, a lawyer at Shanghai zhengce law firm, said.

However, China Trademark network also shows that there is a similar trademark "iwatching" in "Iwatch". It has been successfully applied by a company in Taiwan under the category of 'computer peripherals', and the trademark is in the period of validity. 'iwatching' and 'Iwatch' are similar trademarks, Guo said. If Apple's' Iwatch 'wants to apply for a trademark under the' computer peripheral 'category, the application will encounter difficulties.

From iPhone to iPad, Apple's products have encountered trademark problems repeatedly before entering China, and finally Apple has paid a high 'bridge fee'. Hanwang Technology, a Chinese enterprise, once registered the "I-phone trademark" in 2004, which is used for fixed line phones. In July 2009, apple and Hanwang reached an I-phone trademark transfer agreement, equivalent to 24.9 million yuan. In 2010, Apple's iPad entered China, but then Taiwan's Proview technology revealed to the media that the iPad's Chinese trademark right was in their hands. Then the two companies fell into a dense dispute. Fortunately, due to poor management, Proview was eager to sell the trademark for cash. After many 'struggles', apple paid Proview $60 million in 2012.

But according to past experience, Apple's most likely approach is to spend a lot of money to buy trademark rights and enter the Chinese consumer market.