Intellectual Property Appellate Board directs Apple Inc to respond on trademark issue

CHENNAI: Intellectual Property Appellate Board today directed US-based Apple Inc to file its response on a plea by a company in Tamil Nadu seeking to remove 'iPhone' trademark from the Trademark Registry in India.

The directive was issued by IPAB here on the rectification petition filed by Erode-based iVoice, engaged in intellectual property rights and mobile applications.

iVoice has acquired the IP rights of a pending trademark application (TM1556676 in Class 9) from iVoice Enterprises.

The Board observed that the counter statement was not duly served by the respondent firm Apple Inc in compliance with the IPAB rules.

"The Appellate Board directed the respondent (Apple Inc) to file the application for condoning delay and serve the counter statement to the applicant (iVoice Ventures Pvt Ltd) under intimation to the Registry. The matter was posted on November 20 for reporting compliance of above direction by the respondent and for further orders", a press note issued by iVoice Ventures said.