Trademark For Apple’s iPad Mini Denied… For Now!

The United States Patent and Trademark Office refused to award a trademark on the term “iPad Mini”. The office said that the “mini” portion of the name is barely descriptive enough for them to consider. Apple filled the request for trademark for iPad mini as soon as the device was launched last year. Apple received the letter on January 24th, but it was recently made public few days ago.

USPTO’s reviewer sent the letter to Apple which stated the reason on why the trademark registration was denied. It is written that ‘Has Finally Said What Many Gamers Have Been Saying: “DRM Is A Failed Dead-end Strategy’. The reviewer also used the words “merely descriptive”. It also specifically said that the word “mini” means ‘something that is distinctively smaller than other members of its type or class’.

The reviewer even went ahead and explained Apple using many range of products that can be seen on the internet with the name ‘mini’ attached with the product’s name. Since this is a common word used in some fashion for many products, not necessarily tech products, the reviewer argues that with regards to Apple’s use, it basically means “a small sized handheld tablet computer’ and therefore did not have a ‘unitary mark with a unique, incongruous or otherwise non- descriptive meaning in relation to the good and/or services”.

For those who want to read the letter sent from USPTO can click here.

As of now, Apple’ Inc. can make some changes in its trademark request application, provided the new version can explain that the mark is distinctive to the product itself. But it would be difficult for Apple to do so with the word “mini” associated with their already trademark brand “iPad”, but they have until July 24th to reply back to explain how does ‘iPad mini’ qualifies to have its own trademark.

Courtesy: Apple Insider