Apple’s Patent for Wraparound Display Hints Possibility for New iPhone

Apple’s Patent for Wraparound Display Hints Possibility for New iPhone

Apple, an American multinational technology company, has revived its interest in an old patent that details a mysterious wraparound display. In March 2013, Apple had filed a Patent Application that features an ambiguous device having a glass body and a display looping around the body. Since then, the company has filed thirteen patent applications revolving around the design of this device. The recent patent that details some changes in the design of the device is a continuation of the previous ones.

As far as display and body are concerned, Apple has always had a glass display and a metal body. Undoubtedly, some plastic derivatives at the middle and lower-end were also used for the rear panel, and there have been smartphones’ models with the display on, but a complete wrap-around is something no one has seen so far. Although the concept of wraparound display technology has been available with Samsung and Xiaomi also, no commercial model with such design is accessible in the market.

The changes in the latest patent showcase virtual volume keys, rather than the traditional physical buttons. They also show that the device includes a top bezel that further consists of an earpiece and many other essential sensors in addition to a narrow bottom bezel. The device doesn’t hold the notch, which most of the recent iPhones do.

The wraparound display described in the patent application indicates that the expected device will be an all-glass affair having the display on both sides of the phone. It even suggests that this could be Apple’s answer to a foldable phone. That may appear a little far-fetched as a foldable smartphone when unfolded converts it into a tablet.

Nonetheless, it is noticeable that the sketches in the patent application detail the original 2013’s design so that the company can update it for a future release to keep up with the prevailing design trends. However, with Apple too, it is highly unlikely that the firm will unveil an iPhone with a wraparound display or the iPhone 12 (to be launched next fall) will have this updated design.

We should consider that this is just a patent, which may exist as it is for several years. It is also possible that Apple may never come up with this device as the company files multiple patent applications each month, and it’s a continuous process. Indeed, various concepts and designs for which it gets the patents don’t see the light of the day. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

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A brief about Geographical Indications and Designation of Origin

A brief about Geographical Indications and Designation of Origin

Having a wide range of applications in Intellectual Property (IP) regimes of several countries worldwide, Geographical Indication (GI) is a sign, symbol, or name used on products to indicate that they have originated from a specific geographical locality and possess qualities, characteristics, and reputation attributable to their origin. GI not just functions as quality marks that improve export markets and revenues but also provides a precise source of origin. In this way, it prevents unauthorized users or manufacturers from manufacturing and selling fake products, i.e., products that don’t meet the applicable standards in regards to that origin. For instance, as Darjeeling tea holds a GI tag, its producers have a complete right to prevent the use of the term Darjeeling for the tea products, which are either not produced as per the standards set by the GI law or not grown in their jurisdictions. Though geographical indication protection doesn’t provide the right to prevent others from using the same technique or procedure to manufacture products similar to those that have been granted GI tags, yet it is beneficial in protecting unauthorized use of sign, symbol, or a name that constitutes indication.

Now, if we talk about the designation of origin, it refers to a special kind of protection and implies exclusive or essential natural and human factors of the geographical environment leading to specific characteristics and quality of products and services. It grants protection to the names or signs indicating that a product or service originates from a specific geographical region.

Why Should Geographical Indications and Designation of Origin be protected?

Protection of GIs and designation of origin under the Intellectual Property Law is crucial to evade unauthorized use and infringement. Prevention of such unlawful use will ultimately contribute to increasing the commercial value and reputation of the products and services. Moreover, it also benefits the general public and consumers. For instance, by promoting good business practices and fair market competition, protected GIs will help the customers to buy the precise products. Furthermore, by retaining the active workforce and stimulating family farms, especially in rural areas for developing specific and traditional products and services, the protection of these signs is favorable to economic development as well.

How Should the Protection of Geographical Indications be granted?

The protection of GIs under IP should be granted through a relevant registration procedure. GIs are often protected under national laws and following a wide range of concepts, like laws for the protection of certification marks, laws against unfair competition, consumer protection laws, or special laws for the protection of geographical indications or designations of origin. The Geographical Indication Protection provides the owner with the right to prevent third parties from using the authorized indication on or for the products or services that do not conform to the applicable standards and can be obtained by acquiring right over the sign or name that constitutes the indication. Once registered, the GI and designation of origin may be used collectively by any of the producers (who meet the requirements) from the specific locality.

Contrary to other sorts of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) like a trademark, patent, Industrial Design, and more, the legal systems taking care of this field may differ from state to state. One other considerable fact about geographical indication or designation of origin is that these are often used with producers’ sign or logo that can be protected under trademark with a perspective to focus on the individual character and common characteristics of products’ origin.

Protection of GI tags and designation of origin not just prohibits infringement issues but also builds a remarkable reputation worldwide. It then motivates the consumers to buy the GI products, along with visiting the regions where these commodities are being produced or made, and that ultimately benefit both the producers and nations by enhancing the tourism of those areas. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

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DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act): Everything You Need to Know

DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act): Everything You Need to Know

Since the internet began, people have uploaded and published over a trillion gigabytes of digital content that includes music, games, movies, and much more. The rapid advancements in the digital age and the internet have undoubtedly served content creators and publishers with lots of opportunities to make profits and revenue but along with challenges such as violation of their data online. Indeed, Copyright Infringement is one of the biggest challenges that the digital world faces in the present era. To stop the continuous increase in widespread unlawful access to copyrighted materials observed in the 1990s, the US government put a step and came up with a law called the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Abbreviated as DMCA, this law is a result of the teamwork of legislators, media firms, and consumer lawyers, and enacted by the US Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton in 1998. The law was made on request of many organizations requested for a legal process by which holder of Copyright Website, content, or image could assert their rights to prevent the illegal use of their media. Apart from providing the copyright holders with these facilities, DMCA aims to maintain a balance between the interests of original owners and those who want to purchase the copyrighted materials. It also takes care of penalties to be put on offenders who intentionally violate any Intellectual Property (IP).

DMCA Takedown Notice

Resting as the main component of DMCA law, DMCA takedown notice is an official notification to inform the firm, search engine, web host, or internet service provider (ISP) that they are using copyrighted material. As, in the legal sense, such use is unlawful and leads to copyright infringement, the site or company who receives this notice should immediately take down the specific material. In case they avoid doing so, the ISP could forcefully remove the copyrighted content. You can send the DMCA notice or request for the following types of copyright content:

  • Videos,
  • Digital software,
  • Artwork, images, photos,
  • Posts on your official websites,
  • Songs, music, and almost every kind of audio files,
  • Written texts, including books, poetry, articles, blogs, etc.

Registration of Work Isn’t Necessary

When it comes to write or send a DMCA notice, it is not mandatory to register your work. Any unique content becomes its owner’s IP as soon as he/she creates it. And, as the original owner holds the copyright to it from the moment of its creation, he/she can send a DMCA notice in regards to it without bothering about Copyright Registration. DMCA takedown request is one of the politest ways to prevent infringement of any unregistered material, but don’t forget that if you want to go for a copyright infringement lawsuit, then it is essential to register your content with the copyright office.

Procedure to Create DMCA Notice

As per the law, there is no official DMCA takedown notice form or template that copyright owners are needed to use. However, to make the requests valid, each plaintiff (sender of the notice) must consider including certain specifications. Besides providing info that showcases the copyright infringement, the notice should include:

  • All the details related to the content that’s being infringed
  • A statement that the sender has a good faith that the party on the receiving end has infringed his/her content
  • A statement that under penalty of perjury, every detail provided in the takedown notice is precise
  • Sender’s contact information
  • Sender’s physical or electronic signature

Don’t Worry If You Receive a DMCA Takedown Notice

Considering the legal standing, receiving a DMCA takedown notice undoubtedly sounds a bit scary, but being worried or scared is not at all a solution. What you should do in such cases is first of all calm down and be honest to yourself. After that, think whether or not you infringed the copyrighted material intentionally. Usually, there are high possibilities that you didn’t steal or post the content intentionally. Nevertheless, if you find yourself guilty of infringing the material, then rectifying your mistake will be the best solution. Be quick to locate and take down the violated content as soon as you could. In some cases where you host multiple websites with various people posting and sharing content, there are probabilities that you receive the notice as the next logical person to contact while the infringement was committed by any of those people. Other likelihoods could be that you are using the copyrighted content cautiously within the boundaries of Fair Use. If that’s so, then contact the sender of the notice and share the details of how you used his/her content. It will help you in sorting the issue with ease.

Conclusion

Nowadays, when powerful tools like DMCA are here to help you fight back the infringers, there is no need to stand like helpless in situations when they steal or use your copyrighted content. When these tools have been designed to serve you, then why not utilize them and extract the benefits that you deserve. From today onwards, be active and understand the rights you hold over your copyrighted content and ways to utilize them in the best possible manner. In the case of any query, feel free to contact an experienced IP Attorney. You can also contact an Intellectual Property Law Firm with good experience in rendering services related to the IP industry. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

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TM and R: What Role These Trademark Symbols Play In IP Industry?

TM and R: What Role These Trademark Symbols Play In IP Industry?

Trademark, also written as trade-mark, is any word, name, design, symbol, or combination thereof used to indicate the source of products to identify and distinguish them from goods of others. Undoubtedly, the definition of this exclusive Intellectual Property Right (IPR) is clear to most of us, but what about the vital elements related to it. Besides, queries like whether you can use a specific mark and when can you file a trademark application, there are several areas of trademarks around which confusion abound. One remarkably confusing area is TM and R symbols. People often appear confused with what these two trademark symbols represent, when should one use them, etc.

What do TM and R Symbols Represent?

The TM symbol, which can be used by any individual or company, indicates that a particular word, logo, sign, or phrase is a trademark intended to work as an identifier for the source of the relevant product or service. To use a TM symbol, the owners don’t need to have a Registered Trademark. In general, many companies opt to use this symbol for new goods or services in advance of and during the Trademark Application Process.

On the contrary, the R symbol indicates that the specific word, phrase, logo, or sign is a Registered Trademark, and only the owner or licensee has the legal rights of ownership to use it. It must be used only in the regions in which the owner possesses a valid Trademark Registration.

Can TM and R Symbols be Used at Any Time?

The precise answer to this question is both yes and no. In the case of the first one, i.e., TM, where you want to use a word, phrase, sign, or logo as a trademark intending to identify your company as the source of products or services, you are free to do so any time. As per some privileges under the common law of many companies, you can use TM symbol without applying to register a trademark. However, it enables you to obtain the protection, which is quite lesser as compared to that you could have enjoyed as the owner of a registered trademark.

In cases where you don’t want to or unable to go for trademark registrations, the use of the TM symbol can be a strategic decision. It allows you to tell the public that you are using this brand as a trademark, which over an extended period, will become recognizable in the marketplace as an identifier for your business. Moreover, it also signifies that you have legalities to protect your brand in mind, and thus, ultimately act as a deterrent to severe Trademark Infringement.

On the other hand, the R symbol can never be used without successfully registering your trademark with the associated trademark office. The use of symbol R on the mark that has not been registered is a criminal offense. Doing so can leave you with penalties or behind bars. Hence, whenever you decide to use a trademark symbol, it is better to proceed after being aware of the rules related to that symbol. Although it is possible to obtain the required information from several sources, knowledgeable IP Lawyers can be the best option. They can provide you with precise info, clear your doubts, and assist you in getting rid of any legal concern if you have already misused any mark.

What Should Be the Location of TM and R Symbols?

The upper right corner of the sign, logo, or word is the most common place to put these two significant trademark symbols. Nevertheless, placement of the symbols on the bottom right corner is also acceptable in cases when placing them on the top don’t appear pleasing.

Bottom Line

Here at the end, you have a wealth of information about symbols TM and R that will help you to secure your valuable assets under the Trademark Protection. Recognize your needs and select the symbol that suits you. Although using the symbols even on the registered mark is not necessary, electing to use them is a good idea as it can prevent issues like infringement, and thus, limit the losses that you otherwise can come across. If you want to know about any other trademark symbol or more regarding these two, then consult an adept Intellectual Property Law Firm. Having years of experience in the Intellectual Property industry, they can serve you with the best possible guidance! For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com

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