Apple Appeals Over Brazil Rights Ruling

Computer software giant Apple has been told by Brazilian regulators that it does not have exclusive rights to use the 'iPhone' trademark in the country.
The ruling has come about due to a local company, Gradiente Eletronica, having registered the name name in 2000, six years before the US firm.
Apple will still be able to sell iPhone-branded handsets in Brazil, but Gradiente will now have the option of suing for exclusivity in the country.
The group has already lodged an appeal against the decision with the Brazilian regulators.
The Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) has reportedly argued Apple should have been given full rights to the 'iPhone' name, as Gradiente had not released a product using it until December 2012.
The US tech giants could argue the Brazilian firm's copyright has expired, as it did not use the name within a five year limit.
Bloomberg has quoted the chairman of Gradiente as saying: "We're open to a dialogue for anything, anytime... we're not radicals."
(IT)