There seems to be no respite in sight for Apple as it regards court cases and legal matters. The company has had its fair share of these notably with Samsung and Qualcomm this year and just when you think the rest of the year would be a smooth sail for Apple, KON, a local designing outfit has taken the company back to court.
The local Chinese clothing company is suing Apple for an alleged copyright infringement of its logo and has demanded a compensation of $15,200, a court in Beijing said Tuesday.
KON claims that the App Store logo bears striking semblance to its own, and the company has been using it as a merchandise trademark since 2011.
According to Dongcheng District People’s Court in Beijing, which has accepted the lawsuit, the trademark was registered in 2012. The Chinese news agency Xinhua stated that along with the compensation, KON is demanding an injunction against infringing devices such as iPhones and iPads and a public apology from the U.S. firm.
Apple adopted the new logo this year, in place of the old pencil, brush and ruler, notes Xinhua. Both of the logos have a similar triangular stick design.
However, looking closely the sticks in the KON’s logo appear to be sharper than that of Apple’s App Store logo. However, if one just glances through, both might look the same or at least close enough to be confused.
As part of complaint,KON also stated that their logo was inspired by the British punk rock band the Sex Pistols, and the lines define the bones, metaphorically, the power of life over death.
If Apple decides not to settle the case, it might cost millions for rebranding, according to a report from Apple Insider. KON is a Beijing-based clothing label and was launched in 2009. The brand targets young customers.
As of now, there have been no comments from Apple and KON over the lawsuit.
