Apple is at it again, this time the company sued Hamilton-based company makers of cases for smartphones. The Cupertino-based technology giant has lost a lawsuit to stop driPhone from using the trademark “DRIPHONE”.
One News is reporting that “driPhone is a Hamilton company which makes waterproof and shockproof cases for smartphones.”
driPhone’s director Hayden Crowther applied to register the trademark “Driphone” for waterproof electronic cases in August 2011 but this was opposed by tech giant Apple,”the report said.
“Apple argued that the “driphone” mark would likely deceive or cause confusion. The American company also claimed that the use of the opposed trademark would breach sections of the Fair Trading Act,” the report explains.
“My trade mark DRIPHONE is readily distinguishable from Apple’s iPhone trade mark. In particular DRIPHONE does not use ‘i‘ as a prefix. Additionally, the ‘I’ in DRIPHONE does not refer to the internet or other smart technology. Instead it is part of ‘Dri’ which is a phonetic spelling of ‘dry’ and refers to the fact that DRIPHONE cases are waterproof,” Crowther said.
“During an IPONZ hearing, Crowther argued the trademark he was applying for sounded and looked very different from Apple’s iPhone trade mark,” according to report.