Apple Reportedly Begins Filing for 'iWatch' TrademarksRussian newspaper Izvestia reports [Google translation, via AppleInsider] that Apple has filed for a trademark [Google translation] on the term "iWatch" in Russia, supporting rumors that the company is planning to launch a smart watch as soon as later this year. The Russian trademark filing, made on June 3 through law firm Baker & McKenzie, claims a priority registration date of December 3, 2012 in Jamaica. Apple and other companies frequently file first in Caribbean countries such as Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago where records are not easily searchable online, using those priority dates to help secure protection in other countries at later dates. According to the filing, Apple has applied for protection on the "iWatch" name in two trademark classes: Class 9, which includes computers and peripherals; and Class 14, which includes various types of jewelry such as watches. Drawing from Apple patent application for a "slap bracelet" video accessory resembling a smart watch Izvestia reports that Apple faces a bit of competition for the iWatch name in markets around the world, including in the United States where multiple companies have received trademarks on variations of the term in Class 9. Even in Russia, another company's 2011 application for the iWatch trademark in Class 14 was denied due to similarities to an existing "iSwatch" trademark held by Swiss watchmaker Swatch. While efforts by Apple to protect the "iWatch" name are suggestive of plans to launch such a product, they are by no means definitive. In the lead-up to the iPad launch, we discovered that Apple had been seeking to secure rights to iSlate trademarks and domain names, only to later discover evidence that it was also protecting the iPad name. Both of those efforts were performed with the use of dummy corporations designed to hide Apple's role in securing the names, but it appears that Apple is not resorting to such measures with the iWatch name. (Thanks to Anastasia Spilnick of PATENTUS for directing us to the actual filing.) Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Intel Shares Additional Details on 20Gbps 'Thunderbolt 2' • Zynga Shuts Down 'Draw Something' Creator OMGPOP After Spending $200M to Acquire It • New Apple Stores Coming to New Jersey, Utah and Virginia • Google Updates Gmail for iOS with Redesigned Inbox, Improved Notifications • Analyst Still Believes Apple Television Set With 'iRing' Motion Control Coming Late This Year • Google Chrome for iOS Updated with Voice Search, Faster Page Reloading • Plants vs. Zombies 2 to Launch on July 18 For Free • Apple CEO Tim Cook Speaks on Leadership at Duke University
http://www.macrumors.com/2013/06/05/apple-reportedly-begins-filing-for-iwatch-trademarks/
