Apple files for iCloud trademark in Europe

Apple files for iCloud trademark in Europe
The day Apple chose toout the nameof its new cloud services platform, "iCloud," a trademark filing with the same name appeared in the European trademark office.Spotted by Patently Apple this morning, Apple yesterday filed for the trademark rights to iCloud with the Trade Marks and Designs Registration Office of the European Union.While there's no logo to go along with the filing, there are inklings as to Apple's plans in the trademark filing's list of the various classifications including one for "electronic storage of data, text, images, audio, and video; storage services for archiving electronic data; information and consultation in connection therewith."Then again, that could describe e-mail, YouTube, and Apple's existing MobileMe services.In the U.S., there are currently two records for the iCloud trademark, one of which is registered to Sweden-based Xcerion, the company that reportedly sold iCloud.com to Apple for $4.5 million back in April. The other, which was filed for early last month by Douglas D. Baker, deals with computer software for mobile phones, as well as the storage and archiving of electronic media. Apple is a well-known trademark hound,fiercely defending its names. The company is currently engaged in a legal battle with multiple fronts over gaining the rights to trademark "App Store" from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The company has already grabbed "App Store" and "Appstore" in Europe. Companies including Amazon, Microsoft, Sony Ericsson, HTC, and Nokiahave joined forces to fight Apple, saying the term is too generic. Apple said yesterday that it will take the wraps off iCloud at its Worldwide Developers Conference, which kicks off on Monday. There the company also plans to talk about iOS 5 and the next version of Mac OS X dubbed "Lion."