A Melbourne-based IT consultant has made an audacious bid to trademark the term “iPhone 7”, a name many expect Apple to use for its next iPhone.
According to IP Australia’s ATMOSS trademark database, Southbank-based IT consultant Michael Tantouri has filed for the trademark (number 1669572), which has a lodgement date of January 19, 2015.
Tantouri is seeking to claim the term in relation to “electronic desktop publishing, magazine publishing, publishing by electronic means, online website marketing, publishing of books, and publishing of printed matter”.
Tantouri told StartupSmart, “I registered it so I can undertake in marketing activity online to promote the term.”
“Nowhere in the world is it trademarked. The brand iPhone is but not the term iPhone 7 – it isn’t anywhere globally! Which was a surprise!” Tantouri says.
“Even the terms iPhone 6 and iPhone 5 are not even trademarked! You’d think Apple would have done this, but no. Herewith my justification: I am just a normal person who wants to promote the iPhone 7 brand online. Market Apple.
“The media are very interesting the way they perceive things with drama and spin for the sake of readership and impact. It’s just a trademark application, that’s it. No dramas no worries, as you all say.”
Intellectual property expert Steve White told Private Media there is no guarantee a trademark application will be accepted by the examiners.
“Anyone can file for any trademark they like, the question is whether it gets past the examination process,” he says.
StartupSmart contacted Apple for comment, but received no response prior to publication.
Andrew Sadauskas is a former journalist at SmartCompany and a former editor of TechCompany.
