Swiss-Based Watchmaker Swatch Not Thrilled About Apple’s Rumoured iWatch

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Swatch, the Swiss-based watchmaker, is not happy about the fact that Apple’s wearable device may be called the iWatch. The company feels that the name iWatch sounds a lot like iSwatch, a trademark registered by the Swiss watchmaker for one of its product lines.

Apple has yet to announce a wearable device, which may or may not be called “iWatch”, and the Swiss watchmaker is already going on the offensive. Serena Chiesura, Director of Communication for the Swatch Group, said:

“We believe there is a high risk of confusion between the two products.”

The Swatch group will likely seek legal action in every country where their trademark is registered. In his recent talk about smart watches, translated by the folks at iDownloadBlog, Swatch CEO Nick Hayek said:

A smartwatch needs software and this software must constantly be updated. Every year, you’re forced to buy a new smartphone because the new software requires new hardware. It will be the same problem with smartwatches. Besides, consumers don’t want to charge their watches, and no charging cable will be available for a while.

iSwatch

Apple has already filed trademark registrations for iWatch in several countries, including Japan, Russia, Mexico, Taiwan, and Turkey. The company is expected to announce the fitness and health-focused iWatch in the second half of the year, alongside the next-generation iPhone.

Would you be confused between iSwatch and iWatch? Does the Swatch Group have a good reason to feel threatened? Let us know in the comments below.

[via Watson]

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