Apple introduced HealthKit, a sort of framework for health data on iOs devices, earlier this week.
As with many other Apple product announcements, the name choice ran smack into an existing one.
In this case an Australian firm has already been offering healthcare data services under the company name HealthKit. It also uses the domain HealthKit.com.
While the confusion might seems like a huge blessing, it’s also a big headache, BGR reports.
This isn’t the case of Apple merely not snagging a relevant domain ahead of launching a brand. It’s a case of creating a new brand name that directly conflicts with what could be considered a competitor. You can’t argue Apple wasn’t aware of a company in the space called HealthKit when it created the brand.
I realize that HealthKit isn’t a consumer-facing brand. But everything Apple does is magnified.
Jonathan says
So is it a TM or not ?
Acro says
Not a registered trademark in the US.
Nic says
Whether or not the trademark at issue is a registered trademark or a common law trademark, and whether or not it is a US trademark, is beside the point. I love Apple. For decades now. But they have never worried too much about trademark conflicts. They just go for it, and sort out the arguments later.
Joseph Peterson says
Worth noting is the fact that the company getting trampled complains of receiving emails meant for Apple.
Of course, that’s due to their ownership of the matching .COM.
Apple’s ongoing carelessness with domains actually costs them customers or damages the experience of customers who find them only after misdirected emails, etc.