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Apple strikes settlement with NYC vendors accused of selling counterfeit products
Remember that lawsuit Apple filed against a pair of Queens stores accused of selling fake iDevice accessories? Well, it looks like it's coming to a close. According to Reuters, Cupertino has reached a settlement with the two Chinatown-area retailers, both of which have agreed to hand over all products emblazoned with the Apple name or logo. If the settlement is approved, the two vendors, Fun Zone and Apple Story, will have five days to clear all counterfeit iPod and iPhone accessories from their inventories, along with any allegedly trademark-infringing promotional materials. The defendants, who maintain their innocence, would also be barred from destroying any records of sales, manufacturing or distribution of the unauthorized cases and headphones -- presumably as part of Apple's ongoing crusade against counterfeiters. Apple Story, meanwhile, would have to change its name, which bears an obvious similarity to another well-known outlet. The proposed settlement was filed with a Brooklyn District Court on Thursday and now awaits the approval of US District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto. Neither Apple nor the defendants have commented on the case.
Apple proposes settlement with Queens-area knockoff stores
Reuters reports that two Apple-knockoff stores located in the Queens borough of New York City have been offered a settlement agreement, currently under judicial review. Apple's proposed settlement mandates that the stores hand over all products bearing Apple's trademarks and branding; one store called Apple Story has also agreed to change its name to something a bit less infringing. This brings a swift end to a saga that only started a couple months ago. Counterfeited items bearing Apple's trademarks were seized from both stores in July, which followed Apple's initial filing of the suit only two days earlier. According to court filings, Apple hired private investigators to buy many items from both stores earlier this year in order to amass evidence for the case. Apple has found itself a popular target for counterfeiters recently, with fake Apple Stores popping up in China around the same time as the suit against the Queens-area counterfeiters began.
Apple cracks down on counterfeit products being sold in NYC
NYC may not have as many fake Apple stores as China, but it has a few and they've caught the eye of Apple. Apple has executed several seizure warrants and removed fake goods that carry the Apple logo or name from these stores. A trademark infringement lawsuit has halted sales of the alleged knockoffs while a District Court Judge Kiyo Matsumoto considers the case. Apple has asked that one store, known as Apple Story, change its name to avoid confusion with Apple's retail chain. The Cupertino company is also asking for monetary damages and a vendor list so it can trace back the origin of these counterfeit goods. [Via Engadget; image from f-paper]
Apple cracks down on counterfeit products sold in NYC, files lawsuit against Queens vendors
There may be more than a few fake Apple Stores in China, but for the moment, Cupertino's anti-KIRF crusade seems focused squarely on New York City. According to Reuters, Apple has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against two stores in Queens, alleging that they sold unauthorized cases, headphones and other accessories for the iPhone, iPad and iPod. In the complaint, the company claims that the products in question were all emblazoned with its familiar fruit logo, along with the phrase, "Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in China." The suit also demands that one of the stores, called Apple Story (seriously), change its name to avoid confusion with the real retail outlet and that both vendors disclose full lists of people who both supplied and purchased the goods. It all began when company representatives visited the Chinatown-area stores on "multiple occasions over several weeks," where they bought and examined the items, described in court records as "exact duplicates" of their authentic counterparts. On July 27th, Apple executed a few ex parte seizure warrants, which allowed authorities to seize any goods bearing its logo. US District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto has already granted an injunction to stop the stores from selling the alleged knockoffs, but hasn't yet decided whether Apple Story will have to change its name. The complaint also seeks undisclosed monetary damages and asks that all existing counterfeit goods be destroyed, though court documents suggest that both sides are close to reaching a deal. Neither Apple nor the defendants have commented on the accusations, but we'll let you know as soon as we learn more. In the meantime, check out this KIRF "iPhone 5" we found in Beijing -- a Java-powered handset that's slimmer than the Galaxy S II and a bit laggy, but boasts a multitouch capacitive screen. Asking price? ¥680, or about $106. %Gallery-131124%
