Inside Trademarks Trademark Analytics, Research & Strategy

Apple Avoids iPad Trademark Battle – Buying iPad Trademark from Fujitsu

Putting an end to months of speculation by business analysts and legal experts, Apple has avoided a trademark battle with Fujitsu over the iPad trademark. 

We believe that Apple paid an undisclosed amount to Fujitsu (estimated to be over $4 million USD) in exchange for an assignment of their iPad trademark rights to Apple.  U.S. Patent & Trademark Office records show that Fujitsu assigned their iPad trademark rights to Apple on March 17.

Apple publicly announced the iPad tablet to much fanfare earlier this year. Many, including us (see our previous articles -Part I and Part II), openly wondered about Apple's next steps given Fujitsu's position.

Fujitsu held more senior U.S. trademark rights to "iPad" for its own mobile device.  Apple first indicated it's intent to oppose the registration and validity of Fujitsu's iPad trademark in September 2009, but by January 30, 2010 Apple also filed three requests for extensions of time to oppose Fujitsu.

This shows, in retrospect, that Apple and Fujitsu were in the midst of negotiations regarding the iPad trademark. And it is now clear that those negotiations led to Apple's purchase of the iPad trademark, and Fujitsu's assignment of it's trademark rights.

As we have previously discussed, Apple acquired rights to the iPhone trademark from Cisco in a similar fashion. Now, with iPad, Apple again proves it's post announcement trademark acquisition tactics successful.