In 2015, Apple launched its “Apple Watch.” Some consumers noticed the difference in the watch’s name compared to Apple’s other tech products such as the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. A trademark dispute between the Swiss watchmaker Swatch and Apple was probably a key factor causing the difference in name.
Apple applied for registration of its “iWatch” mark with the UK’s Intellectual Property Office in in 2013. It was met with an objection from Swiss watchmaker, Swatch, in 2014. Before a decision was granted, Apple named the smartwatch “Apple Watch.”
After a hearing in April of this year, the UK’s Intellectual Property Office issued a decision this month in agreement with Swatch’s assertion that the “iWatch” was too similar in name to Swatch’s “iSwatch” and “Swatch.”
Trademark registrations are still handled territorially, meaning that global companies like Apple must apply for trademark registration in every “country of interest.” The decision limited Apple’s use of the mark to computer accessories and software and did not extend its use to its smartwatch. This decision is a clear example of the difficulties awaiting by global companies in launching and naming new products designed for global use and marketing.
[1] Swatch Succeeds in Trademark Case Over Apple ‘iWatch,’ http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-37350870.