iPhone Trademark in Brazil: Apple Does Not Have Exclusive Trademark Rights to iPhone in Brazil

Tim Cook holding chartiPhone Trademark in Brazil: The iPhone smartphone has become synonymous with the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) brand. With that in mind, you would expect the Cupertino-based company to hold an exclusive trademark on the product and its name throughout the entire world. While this holds true in most cases, Brazil is a bit different.

Before we go any further, it is important to note that the iPhone trademark in Brazil is owned by IGB Electronica SA. Obviously, the company beat Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) to the punch.

For more information on this story, let’s take a closer look at the scoop from Bloomberg:

“The owner of the iPhone trademark in Brazil, IGB Eletronica SA (IGBR3), said it would consider selling the naming rights to Apple (AAPL) Inc. “

It is good news for Apple that the company is at least willing to consider selling the trademark. Of course, it is not going to be cheap.

In the same article, Eugenio Emilio Staub, chairman of IGB, was quoted as saying the following:

“We’re open to a dialogue for anything, anytime. We’re not radicals.”

In other words, Staub is not trying to hold Apple hostage. Instead, he realizes that the trademark may be important to the company and is letting it be known that he is more than willing to open up negotiations.

At this point, you may be wondering how all this happened. Well, IGB filed for the trademark in 2000 but was not awarded the rights until 2008. Believe it or not, the Gradiente brand of IGB has been selling it version of the iPhone for a few months now.

Here is some additional information on the trademark filing from Bloomberg:

“Folha de S.Paulo newspaper reported today that the institute responsible for granting trademarks in Brazil confirmed that the exclusive rights to the name for mobile phones still belong to Gradiente, without saying where it got the information. The decision, originally set to be published today, will be announced on Feb. 13. Staub said he hasn’t been informed of any decisions regarding the trademark.”

What do you think Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) should do next? Purchase the trademark or continue its ways in Brazil without doing so?

Check back here for more updates on iPhone Trademark in Brazil.

DISCLOSURE: I have no positions in any stock mentioned.

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