When Apple announced the iPhone 5, it also announced it would be offering a new headset with it as well as future iOS products which it deemed the EarPods. Unfortunately, it looks as though a hearing aid company seems to have an issue with Apple’s latest headset.
Randolph Divisions has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit in Hawaii that alleges Apple’s EarPods infringe on their “HearPod” trademark and product. The company has held the “HearPod” trademark since 2007, although Apple currently doesn’t own the U.S. trademarks for “EarPods” and “Apple EarPods.”
The question here is if Randolph Divisions has a case here, which I personally believe the do not, but I’m nowhere near someone who can be considered a lawyer. Maybe they can claim both products can be confused for one another, especially for their hard-of-hearing customers. HearPods and EarPods would certainly sound extremely familiar to someone who is looking to buy a HearPod for themselves, and we’re sure that person wouldn’t be too pleased if they just ordered a pair of EarPods.
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