Apple’s request that Amazon stop using the word “Appstore” has been rejected. I am very happy with that. Appstore is so generic that a win would have opened up the door to many more lawsuits. Apple filed against Amazon in March. They said at that time that Amazon’s “Appstore” infringed on Apple’s “App Store” trademark. Amazon said that those claims were “baseless,” and Microsoft said something to that effect as well. The Judge Phyllis Hamilton said that “The evidence does show that Apple has spent a great deal of money on advertising and publicity, and has sold/provided/furnished a large number of apps from its App Store,”
She goes on to say “However, there is also evidence that the term ‘app store’ is used by other companies as a descriptive term for a place to obtain software applications for mobile devices.” Thus Apple’s use of the phrase “App Store” was “more descriptive than distinctive.” Microsoft and Apple are also fighting over the term — and Microsoft has said that the term “App Store” is “generic for retail store services featuring apps.” Apple’s case against Amazon is currently being heard by an appeals board.