Steve Jobs: Apple owns "Pad" trademark

In an email from Apple, journalPad developer Chris Ostmo was told he would need to remove the word "pad" from his app's name in order to get his app updated on the App Store. Ostmo then sent an email to Steve Jobs asking him why the App Store policy had changed after a number of apps had already used the word "pad" in their names. Jobs' reply? "It's just common sense not to use another company's trademarks in your app name."

The problem with Jobs' answer is that Apple does not own any trademark on the word "pad." In fact, a quick check of Apple's Trademark List reveals only two trademarks with the word "pad" in them: iPad and MacPAD. This isn't the first app Apple's rejected for using the word "pad" in the name, either -- as Jesse Waites, the developer behind ContactPad found out last week. interestingly, a few developers I've talked to say that Apple does not seem to have a problem with people using the name "App name for iPad."

In spite of the fact that Apple does not own "pad," many developers may just decide to go ahead and change their app's name instead of facing a back and forth email argument with Apple and thus delaying their app's ability to be sold on the App Store.

[via 9to5]
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