They’re known for the iPod, the iPhone, the iMac, the iBook, and as of tomorrow, the iPad. But according to an Australian court, Apple does not own and can not prevent the use of the letter “i” in other worldwide products.
Apple recently sued to prevent an Australian company from using the name “DOPi” for a product, claiming it would confuse consumers and that spelled backwards it is “iPOD.” But an Australian tribunal dismissed their claims, noting that there are already a variety of product lines using the “i” prefix, including iSkin and iSoft. Apple is said to have failed to show that a “person of ordinary intelligence and memory” would automatically assume an “i” product must be an Apple product. So for now, Apple does not have a stranglehold on the letter “i” and it may be used in any product name and shared by Apple and any other company.
