Apple is suing Amazon.com for trademark infringement for launching its own App Store.
In a suit filed Friday in Federal Court in the Northern District of California, Apple asked the court for an injunction against Amazon to force the e-tailer to stop using the name, and also for unspecified damages, the Wall Street Journal reports.
“Consumers of mobile software downloads are likely to be confused as to whether Amazon’s mobile software download service is sponsored or approved by Apple,” Apple said in its complaint.
Apple and Amazon have grown increasingly competitive in e-books, digital music and movie sales.
Apple trademarked “App Store” on July 17, 2008. The App Store is a section of Apple’s proprietary iTunes, selling applications, TV shows, games and music for iPhones, iPod touches and iPads.
The court documents say Amazon began using “Appstore” (no space, lower-case s) around January 2011. According to WSJ blog All Things D, Amazon will launch its Android Appstore Tuesday.
“We’ve asked Amazon not to copy the App Store name because it will confuse and mislead customers,” an Apple spokesperson told the Journal. An Amazon spokesperson declined comment.
Apple’s trademark is also being challenged by Microsoft Corp., and is subject to hearings before an U.S. Patent and Trademark Office apples board.
