Brazilian electronics makers IGB Eletronica SA announced it will sell smartphones in Brazil under the brand name “IPHONE,” to which it has exclusive local rights. The company registered the name in 2000, and secured rights to the name in 2008. The first smartphone from the company will be called “Neo One.”
It remains to be seen how Apple will address the issue, but this isn’t new territory for the company: a recent Mexican court ruling allows Apple to use the “iPhone” name in Mexico, despite a Mexican company iFone’s ability to use its name for its own products. In 2009, Apple settled a trademark dispute over the iPad name in China, paying Proview $60 million for the naming rights. [via Reuters]
