Categories: LegalNews

Apple, USPTO settle lawsuit over ‘Smart Keyboard’ trademark

Apple and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office told a Virginia federal court on Thursday that they have settled Apple’s lawsuit challenging the office’s rejection of its application for a federal trademark covering the term “Smart Keyboard,” reports Reuters.

The two sides said in a joint filing that they had resolved the dispute in principle. Any party moving for summary judgement will do so on or before Sept. 14, 2023.

In 2018, the USPTO rejected Apple’s bid for a federal trademark for its Smart Keyboard in 2018. The office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board upheld the decision in 2021, finding the phrase was a generic term for “technologically advanced keyboards.”

Apple appealed to the Virginia court last year. It argued “Smart Keyboard” was a distinctive trade name for its accessory and said the office has registered hundreds of other “Smart” trademarks including Apple’s own “Smart Cover,” “Smart Case,” and “Smart Connector” marks for iPad accessories.

Dennis Sellers

Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.

Recent Posts

I’ve eliminated most of the ads at ‘Apple World Today’, so I hope you’ll support the site

As you’ve probably noticed (at least I hope you have, or else I’ve made a…

1 day ago

Top Apple-related stories this week (May 13-17)

Here are the top Apple-related articles at Apple World Today for the week of May…

1 day ago

Optimizing Time Management: How AI Email Writer Can Help

One of the biggest reasons people are starting to lean on AI for knowledge and…

1 day ago

What Are The Best Free Online Games to Play Directly From Your Browser?

The internet offers infinite forms of entertainment, and the world of on-line gaming isn't any…

1 day ago

Today’s deal: PDF Expert Premium Plan: Lifetime Subscription (Mac) for $79.99

PDF Expert is a uniquely fast, reliable, easy-to-use PDF editor that is built with the…

1 day ago

Apple rumored to be developing a ‘significantly thinner version’ of the iPhone

Apple is developing a “significantly thinner version” of the iPhone that could be released next…

2 days ago