If you own a global company, you have to be careful about the names of your products. In different countries, the same name can have different meanings or be trademarked by other companies. This can lead to copyright and competition lawsuits. Fortunately, we do not own such a company and therefore we don’t have these types of problems, but Apple does. Most recently, the company faced the risk of having to change the name of its new mixed reality headset, the Vision Pro, in China. This is because Huawei registered the same trademark four years ago. Here are the details…
Huawei Trademark Could Force Apple to Rebrand Vision Pro Headset in China
Apple recently announced its first Mixed Reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro, which is set to debut in the United States early next year. However, a recent search of the China Trademark Network reveals that as early as May 16, 2019, Huawei had successfully registered the Vision Pro trademark, a clear four years ahead of Apple’s product announcement.
It is understood that the registered number of the Vision Pro trademark is 38242888, and it falls under the international class 9. The trademark’s exclusive rights period is from November 28, 2021, to November 27, 2031, with approved usage for products and services including LCD TVs, head-mounted virtual reality devices, radio equipment, and more.
This suggests that Apple may not be able to use the name “Vision Pro” for its product within China and may have to consider a rebrand when launching the Apple Vision Pro in the country. It is worth noting that Huawei’s registration of the Vision Pro trademark is not directly related to Apple. Huawei has two product lines related to the term “Vision”. These include Huawei’s first smart viewing glasses, Vision Glass, and the Huawei Vision Smart Screen series. The Vision Pro trademark may have been registered in anticipation of future additions to the Vision Smart Screen series.
Possible scenarios for Apple
There are a few possible scenarios that could play out for Apple in this situation. One possibility is that Apple will simply rebrand its headset for the Chinese market. This would likely be the simplest and most straightforward solution, and it would allow Apple to avoid any potential legal issues. Another possibility is that Apple will try to negotiate with Huawei to use the Vision Pro trademark in China. This could be a more complex and time-consuming process, but it could potentially allow Apple to keep the name that it has already chosen for its headset.
Finally, it is also possible that Apple will simply decide not to launch its headset in China at all. This would be a significant loss for Apple, as the Chinese market is one of the largest and most important in the world. However, it would also avoid any potential legal problems.
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