Tech giants team up against Apple over 'app store' trademark bid

Microsoft, HTC, Nokia and Sony Ericsson join Amazon in fight against ownership of 'generic' phrase

A coalition of technology companies is to take on Apple over its attempt to copyright the term 'app store' in Europe, arguing that the phrase is too broad to be owned and trademarked by one company.

HTC, Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Microsoft have filed an official complaint to the European Commission, and a Microsoft spokesperson maintained that the number of companies involved underlines the weight of opposition to Apple's move.

"Today's filings by HTC, Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Microsoft, like Amazon's recent action, demonstrate the breadth of opposition to Apple's unsupportable claim of exclusivity," the companies said.

"'App store', like 'toy store' or 'book store', is a generic term that should continue to be available for everyone to use for stores that sell apps."

HTC said that it had no comment to make on the matter, while Nokia had yet to reply to a request for more information.

V3.co.uk also contacted Apple for comment, but had received no reply at the time of publication.

Apple had originally sued Amazon for the use of the term on its web site, which prompted the online retailer to countersue.

Microsoft has already launched a similar legal move against Apple in the US over the trademark, even hiring expert linguists to prove that the term is generic and cannot be trademarked.

The battle marks yet another legal spat between major mobile vendors. Apple, Nokia, Motorola, Huawei and ZTE have all traded blows over issues of patented technology and branding.