Apple’s application for the “iPad mini” trademark must be more descriptive if the US Patent and Trademark Office is going to approve it. A document from the USPTO surfaced online over the weekend, indicating that the office was unlikely to give Apple the trademark based on its initial description. Although some have interpreted the letter as an outright rejection, the USPTO’s response offers Apple options for modifying its application—as long as it offers a disclaimer on “mini.” The USPTO’s letter to Apple is dated January 24 but was only just made public. In it, the organization notes that while “iPad” is descriptive when applied to Apple’s goods—the “i” because it’s understood by the public to refer to the Internet, while “pad” is connected with tablet computers. “Mini,” on the other hand, is the word that the USPTO takes issue with.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.