Ahead Of Next iPhone's Imminent Release, Apple Attempts To Seize iPhone5.com Domain Name
May 6, 2012
While the next iPhone is technically already the sixth generation of Apple's bestselling smartphone, general agreement has resulted in it being referred to as "iPhone 5." The misnomer is not entirely baseless, seeing as its predecessor, iPhone 4S, might as well be "iPhone 4.5." And while most industry watchers are busy speculating whether the next iPhone is primed for release in June, Apple is engaged in a dispute over a Web site that deals with the so-called iPhone 5.
Fusible.com, a Web site dedicated to covering domain industry news, reports that Apple has filed a complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in order to gain ownership of the iPhone5.com domain name. The case is currently active and awaiting WIPO's decision.
The iPhone5.com domain is currently home to a small number of discussion boards, the most active of which contains less than 15 messages. It's a largely idle site, to be sure, but whether it will be successfully taken and put to better use by Apple remains to be seen. The present owner of the property in question would do well to prepare for an acquisition, though, seeing as the consumer electronics giant has a pretty good track record when it comes to domain disputes. Apple has managed to take possession of iPhone4.com, WhiteiPhone.com, iPhone4S.com, and a bunch of other similar domain names, some of which were used for pornography.
This move by Apple ahead of the release of the next iPhone is certainly not a guarantee that the upcoming device will indeed be officially called iPhone 5. It's likely that Apple is just trying to get hold of a domain name that it could use to redirect users to the official page for the next iPhone, which, following the naming of the new iPad, could very well be called just iPhone.
(via MacRumors)