Apple pressures retailer with 'iPod' URL

Micro Heaven today announced that it has changed the domain name of its primary site from www.easyipod.co.uk to www.easyishop.co.uk, following threats of legal action from Apple. Micro Heaven's managing director James Nicholson elaborates: "there are a number of reasons for the change the first being the threat of Legal action by Apple against Micro Heaven using the term iPod in our URL. We totally understand that Apple need to protect their brand names and would not ever attempt to fight this in court. Secondly we are now seeing even more competition in the MP3 market and various companies who are bringing out strong products that may someday compete with Apple’s dominant player. We also feel the domain name www.easyishop.co.uk allows us to expand into various other mobility sectors as and when we feel the market dictates." The company will make the move gradually so as not to confuse existing customers, and plans to bring on more accessories for other players that may compete with Apple's iPod.

Apple has made aggressive moves in the recent past to protect its iPod trademarks, in one case filing an infringement claim against a company that owned but was not yet using the term "spod."

In yet another instance, Apple successfully shut down an etailer in the UK after the iPod maker moved to protect its iPod trademark and collect royalties from iPod accessory makers. "Everything iPod," which had been distributing iPod peripherals since 2002, closed its doors due to Apple's pressure.

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