Diapers,drugs compete for iPad tag

The newspaper says six manufacturers,including a flashlight manufacturer,got as far as preliminary approval before their applications were challenged.

Cai Zhiyong,whose company is based in east Chinas Zhejiang province,said he applied to register iPhone as a trademark for his lamps and flashlights in 2010,but was recently asked to provide supporting evidence in the final disclosure stage.

Apple objected to our application on the last day of the three-month disclosure that began in June 2011, Xu Jie,a lawyer representing Cais company based in the manufacturing town of Yiwu said. On Friday,Xu received a letter from the trademark office of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce demanding the applicant provide supporting evidence within a month.

Apple held Cais firm had infringed upon its trademark and should therefore withdraw the application.

The debate focused on whether iPhone had gained certified status as a famous brand under protection from Chinas law of trademarks, Xu said.

The law prevents famous brand names from being registered under other categories.

Famous as it is today,we cannot assume iPhone was already an officially recognized famous brand back in 2010, Xu said.

He said it took him by surprise when he found,at Cais request in 2010,that Apple had not registered its trademarks in all of Chinas 45 commercial categories,a practice other transnational companies follow.

It seemed to me that Apple did not care much about the China market. So the dispute was caused by Apples brand strategy flaws, he said.

My big clients,mostly manufacturing firms based in Yiwu,almost always register their trademarks in all product and service categories to protect and nurture their brands. Xu expected the dispute to last two to three years.