5 ms·

I think it's extremely unlikely Apple would sell the iPad under any other name. The 'brand' is too strong—and is probably worth $1.6b to them.

nodata 15y ago
$1.6b in lost sales? Even if Apple call it something else, everyone will still call it an iPad. If I were Apple I'd come up with a name unique to the Chinese market.
- martingordon 15y ago
  $1.6B is nothing to Apple. They had $80B in cash at the end of September and could very well pass $100B after the holidays. I don't think there's any way Apple will dilute the brand of one of their flagship products in their hottest market. Plus, it works both ways: they would have to find a trademark that works everywhere else so that competitors don't snatch up the new trademark in other countries.
  - Tyrannosaurs 15y ago
    Having the money and it being nothing are different. If I need to I could come up with $10,000 for something. That doesn't mean that it's not significant and it doesn't mean that it's the right thing to do if I have an alternative.
    - martingordon 15y ago
      The cost of switching to a different name isn't $0, though. Both the cost and added complexity is significant. Some considerations: * Cost of finding and registering a different trademark that's available worldwide. * Cost of developing new marketing materials. * Cost of tweaking software to use new name. * Cost of tweaking production lines to print new name on devices and packaging. * Cost of lost sales due to customer confusion (Chinese traveling to America; Foreigners traveling to China).
      - Tyrannosaurs 15y ago
        I'm not saying that there are no costs, there clearly are, the most significant of which is brand dilution. What I'm saying is that $1.6bn is clearly not nothing, not to Apple, not to anyone.
  - astrodust 15y ago
    You know how many lawyers you can buy for $1.6B? Here's a hint: LOTS OF LAWYERS.
    - yiran 15y ago
      You know how many officials you can bribe with $1.6 B? Here's a hint: LOTS OF THEM.
- sirn 15y ago
  > If I were Apple I'd come up with a name unique to the Chinese market. Apple has done this for their lesser product. AirPort is released as AirMac in Japan, for example.
jcampbell1 15y ago
In China, all laws can be trumped by what is good for the people. It is written in their constitution. Since Apple provides something like 1M jobs in China, it is unlikely a court ruling would be enforced. This problem will go away with one phone call.

nodata 15y ago

$1.6b in lost sales? Even if Apple call it something else, everyone will still call it an iPad. If I were Apple I'd come up with a name unique to the Chinese market.

martingordon 15y ago
$1.6B is nothing to Apple. They had $80B in cash at the end of September and could very well pass $100B after the holidays. I don't think there's any way Apple will dilute the brand of one of their flagship products in their hottest market. Plus, it works both ways: they would have to find a trademark that works everywhere else so that competitors don't snatch up the new trademark in other countries.
- Tyrannosaurs 15y ago
  Having the money and it being nothing are different. If I need to I could come up with $10,000 for something. That doesn't mean that it's not significant and it doesn't mean that it's the right thing to do if I have an alternative.
  - martingordon 15y ago
    The cost of switching to a different name isn't $0, though. Both the cost and added complexity is significant. Some considerations: * Cost of finding and registering a different trademark that's available worldwide. * Cost of developing new marketing materials. * Cost of tweaking software to use new name. * Cost of tweaking production lines to print new name on devices and packaging. * Cost of lost sales due to customer confusion (Chinese traveling to America; Foreigners traveling to China).
    - Tyrannosaurs 15y ago
      I'm not saying that there are no costs, there clearly are, the most significant of which is brand dilution. What I'm saying is that $1.6bn is clearly not nothing, not to Apple, not to anyone.
- astrodust 15y ago
  You know how many lawyers you can buy for $1.6B? Here's a hint: LOTS OF LAWYERS.
  - yiran 15y ago
    You know how many officials you can bribe with $1.6 B? Here's a hint: LOTS OF THEM.
sirn 15y ago
> If I were Apple I'd come up with a name unique to the Chinese market. Apple has done this for their lesser product. AirPort is released as AirMac in Japan, for example.

jcampbell1 15y ago

In China, all laws can be trumped by what is good for the people. It is written in their constitution. Since Apple provides something like 1M jobs in China, it is unlikely a court ruling would be enforced. This problem will go away with one phone call.