Apple expands Amazon App Store lawsuit to include the Kindle Fire

Apple is fiercely defending its right to exclusively use the terms "app" and "App Store" and is now targeting the Kindle Fire. Apple amended its previous App Store lawsuit with Amazon and singles out Amazon's use of the term "Amazon Appstore" in its advertising for the Kindle Fire.

In this new filing, Apple claims Amazon has changed its advertising from "Amazon Appstore for Android" to "Amazon Appstore" to sound more like Apple's App Store. Apple asserts this is a deliberate attempt to deceive customers and argues,

Amazon's use is also likely to lessen the goodwill associated with Apple's APP STORE service and Apple products designed to utilize Apple's APP STORE service by associating Apple's APP STORE service with the inferior qualities of Amazon's service

Apple claims it popularized the term "app" and "app store" when it introduced the iOS App store in 2008. The Cupertino company faces an uphill battle as it must prove these terms are not generic and refer specifically to Apple's products. Apple faced an early setback in this case when it was denied an injunction that would prevent Amazon from using the term Appstore. As it stands, Amazon can continue to use the term while this legal battle plays out in the courts.