Apple may be forced to abandon the Touch ID name
July 15, 2014
Apple’s hope of securing the “Touch ID” trademark in the United States has hit a major roadblock. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has refused Apple’s January 2014 application, as another company already holds a trademark for "Kronos Touch ID."
The government says there is a “likelihood of confusion” given the very similar names, according to Patently Apple.
According to the report:
USPTO states that “Trademark Act Section 2(d) bars registration of an applied-for mark that so resembles a registered mark that it is likely that a potential consumer would be confused or mistaken or deceived as to the source of the goods and/or services of the applicant and registrant. In this case, the following factors are the most relevant: similarity of the marks, similarity of the goods and/or services, and similarity of trade channels of the goods and/or services.Kronos Technology filed for the Kronos Touch ID trademark in 2001. It was officially registered two years later. The patent covers a time management software system. Apple has six months to respond to the USPTO with a suggested remedy. If no solution is found, Apple will be forced to abandon the application and rename the feature. Cupertino launched Touch ID on the iPhone 5s in September 2013. The fingerprint authentication technology is expected to expand to next-generation iPads this fall. See also: AgileBits' 1Password For iOS 8 Caught On Video, Features Touch ID Support And More, and PayPal Already Working To Integrate Apple's Touch ID Into Its Mobile Payment Apps.