Apple has filed an application to allow them trademark the application of the “STARTUP” term in Australia. The application was filed by the Apple through a lawyer, of the Barker & McKenzie Company, who based in Sydney on the 27th of August. According to a report received from TM WATCH, the iPhone maker’s application for the trademark was still at the early status of the filing being approved. Therefore, this means the application had not yet been assessed by an IP examiner. Once the application is approved, the company will now have all the rights to the use of the word “STARTUP” over computing, mobile, retail and other tutorial software.
Class 35, which comprises of retail store services and includes: services for retail stores featuring computers, computer peripherals, computer software, consumer electronic devices, mobile phones and the demonstration of products that are related to this class.
Class 37 which includes maintenance, computer hardware repair and maintenance, consumer electronic devices, computer peripherals and consulting services in the maintenance field of the consumer electronic devices, computer peripherals and computer hardware.
Class 41 of the educational services which will include the carrying out of the classes, conferences, seminars and workshops in the field of computer, computer peripherals, computer software, consumer electronic devices, mobile phones and the services that related to the computers: provision of information in the turf of education.
Class 42 of the designing and development of the computer software and hardware; the services for technical support namely, the troubleshooting of the software and hardware problems of the computer; installing, maintaining and updating the software of computers; services for technological consultancy in the consumer electronics, computers and computer software fields; data recovery of computers; and the diagnostic services of the computers.
According to an article that appeared on Apple Insider, even when the trademark is approved, the iPhone maker will not own the term “STARTUP” exclusively. This means that all the other businesses that are outside the limits of the above classes will not be headed for possession by the company.
Apple had allegedly filed for related trademarks back in the year 2012 in Australia but they were never approved and the company was just given an initial trademark while the consultation period was pending. It had also filed for the acquisition of the same trademark in the United States but according to reports, many companies opposed the application and the company was given up to 20th of September for it to respond to the companies that opposed its application for the trademark.
In accordance with the website Wired, if Apple’s request for trademark will be given a green light in Australia, the implications that will follow will most likely be felt at the worldwide level. According to Wired, Australia is a signatory to the Madrid system, under the endorsement World Intellectual Property Organization. Under this authorization, any trademark that has been doled out within one country of the system also comes into force in all the countries that are signatories to the authorization.