Wrote an app for the iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad? Great, just make sure you don’t use the “Pad” term in its name before submitting to Apple because you’ll be shown the door. According to 9to5Mac, many developers are finding out the hard way that Apple trademarked the “Pad” term. Jesse Waites, the brains behind the ContactPad app, and Chris Ostmo, the creator of JournalPad program, were both contacted by Apple regarding their use of that term.
The Californian firm allegedly demanded that the developers refrain from using Apple’s trademark, asking them to rename the apps. When the JournalPad developer complained to Steve Jobs about Apple’s request, demanding that the CEO explain why in fact the company had made the policy change, he got the following reply:
It’s just common sense to not use another company’s trademark in your app name.
Remember the iPodRip app? Its developer too had to re-christen the app into just iRip following a letter of complaint from Cupertino’s legal sharks because, needless to say, Apple owns the “iPod” term, too. 9to5Mac warned that neither Apple’s guidelines nor their list of trademarks mention the “Pad” trademark specifically, only “MacPad” and “iPad.”
Read more at 9to5Mac
Steve Jobs says the JournalPad app, pictured above, must drop the “Pad” suffix from its name or else…
Christian’s Opinion
Many app rejections are unnecessary, but this one is a non-issue, if you ask me. Steve Jobs is totally right: If Apple trademarked the “Pad” term, no-one should use incorporate it into a product name. It’s not just bad karma, it’s illegal. While we might speculate endlessly as to why Apple trademarked the “Pad” term and if such a broad term should be allowed at all, this doesn’t change the fact that they own it. It’s part of their patent portfolio now. End of discussion.
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