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Apple Rips Off Rejected App, Says Wireless Sync Developer

Posted by timothy on from the excuse-me-were-you-using-that-app-and-logo dept.

Haedrian writes "Apple is famous for going to absurd lengths to enforce its patents and trademarks. It recently sued Amazon for calling its app store Appstore. And it has publicly lectured competitors to 'create their own original technology, not steal ours.' Last year, UK developer Greg Hughes submitted an app for wirelessly syncing iPhones with iTunes libraries, which was rejected from the official App Store. Fast forward to Monday, when Apple unveiled a set of new features for the upcoming iOS 5, including the same wireless-syncing functionality. Cupertino wasn't even subtle about the appropriation, using the precise name and a near-identical logo to market the technology."

3 of 549 comments (clear)

  1. in this age by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    in this age of corporate hypocrisy, it amazes me how any company has fanboys at all.

  2. Re:Oh, for the love of God! by exomondo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    For the love of God, the name of the app is "WiFi Sync". What the fuck else are they going to call an app that syncs over WiFi?

    For the love of God, the name of the store is "Amazon Appstore". What the fuck else are Amazon going to call their store that sells apps?

  3. Precedent? by D-OveRMinD · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So if a wi-fi syncing app called Wi-Fi Sync is obvious, therefore Apple can steal...er...appropriate it for its own use without repercussions, then I would assume by the same token that a store selling apps called App Store is obvious, therefore anyone can appropriate the name for their own use as well. Apple, what say you?