????亞馬遜（Amazon）使用“應用程序商店”（appstore）這個詞是否侵犯了蘋果公司（Apple）的商標權？

????對于這一問題目前仍然存在爭論。伊麗莎白?拉波特法官已要求蘋果與亞馬遜（Amazon）在3月21日會面，解決這個問題。與會者將包括兩家公司的法律顧問以及“能全權談判并和解此案的”高管。如果未能達成協議，雙方將于8月19日對簿公堂。

????蘋果稱，亞馬遜的數字軟件商店不正當地使用了蘋果公司在2011年注冊的商標“應用程序商店”。這兩家科技巨頭素有積怨。蘋果公司于2008年7月推出了自己的應用程序商店。作為在iOS用戶中大受歡迎的應用平臺，應用程序商店上現有100多萬款應用。亞馬遜于2011年3月推出了針對Android用戶的應用平臺。

????但亞馬遜對其應用平臺的市場推廣從一開始就讓蘋果很惱火。蘋果稱亞馬遜使用“應用程序商店”一詞屬于“虛假宣傳”，會使消費者誤以為蘋果與亞馬遜的這一平臺有關系，并堅稱亞馬遜會因此搶走了蘋果的生意。

????亞馬遜在去年秋季提交給加州奧克蘭地方法院的文件中寫道，“蘋果大概沒有聲稱，其前任及現任首席執行官在公司收益電話會議中，關于其它（公司的）應用商店對數千名投資者做了虛假陳述。恰恰相反，使用‘應用程序商店’這個詞來指稱銷售應用的平臺在本行業中是司空見慣的事。”不過，法官于本月早些時候駁回了這一說法。

????現在，這兩家公司將就亞馬遜使用這個詞語是否侵犯了蘋果的商標權展開辯論。爭論的結果將如何？雙方可能終將對簿公堂。（財富中文網）

????譯者：項航

????Is Amazon's use of the term "appstore" infringing upon Apple's trademark?

????That's the matter up for contention. Judge Elizabeth Laporte has ordered Apple (AAPL) and Amazon (AMZN) to convene on March 21 to settle the matter. These talks will include the companies' legal counsel and executives with "full authority to negotiate and settle the case." If an agreement isn't reached, the two go to trial beginning August 19.

????Apple argues that Amazon's digital software storefront is in part an improper use of Apple's "App Store" trademark, filed in 2011. It's just the latest dust-up between the two tech giants. Apple introduced its App Store in July 2008, a popular app destination for iOS users that now features 1 million-plus apps. Amazon launched its own, a collection of Android apps, in March 2011.

????But marketing Amazon's appstore as such rubbed Apple the wrong way almost from the start. Apple claimed Amazon's use of the term was "false advertising," that the situation was confusing to customers who might think Apple was somehow associated with Amazon's venture, and maintained it could result in revenue lost to Amazon.

????"Apple presumably does not contend that its past and current CEOs made false statements regarding to those other app stores to thousands of investors in earnings calls," Amazon said in a filing with the U.S. District Court in Oakland, Calif last fall. "To the contrary, the use of the term 'app store' to refer to stores selling apps is commonplace in the industry." A judge dismissed the claim earlier this month.

????Now, the two will wrestle over whether Amazon's usage of the terms encroaches upon Apple's trademark. The more likely outcome? This fight will also see its day in court.