Apple Watch may have been hindered by Irish ‘iWatch’

Technology multinational Apple may have been prevented from sticking to its signature naming conventions before launching its watch due to an Irish-owned trademark, it has been claimed.

California-based Apple launched its smart watch, the Apple Watch, earlier this year.

But, unlike previous Apple products, including the iPhone, iPad, and iPod, it was not marketed with the signature ‘i’ before its name.

This, according to reports, could have been down to Dublin-based start-up business Probendi, which registered a European wide trademark for the term in 2008.

Italian national Daniele Di Salvo, who founded the company in 2007, told Bloomberg it is the “sole entity” that is lawfully entitled to use the name ‘iWatch’ for products within the EU.

He added that the company would “promptly take all appropriate legal action” to oppose any unauthorised use.

Di Salvo initially created the iWatch as an app that helps different devices communicate.

It is now used by organisations, such as some Italian police forces, to transfer pictures of suspects to office headquarters.

But the company is also reportedly preparing to release its own smartwatch using the iWatch name.

Apple declined to comment on whether its name choice was a result of Probendi’s trademark registration.