The Brazilian company Gradiente still believes that the iPhone trademark belongs to it - it is awaiting a court decision

Apple is once again embroiled in a legal dispute, but this time it is really something interesting: the Brazilian company Gradiente claims that it patented the 'iPhone' trademark before Apple released its product.

Here's What We Know

Gradiente CEO Eugênio Staub has defended his company against accusations of opportunism, stressing that Gradiente's 2000 phone, the Gradiente Iphone, was seven years ahead of Apple's iPhone.

However, due to a trademark dispute with another Brazilian company, Gradiente did not officially obtain the rights to the name until 2008, a year after Apple introduced the iPhone. In 2012, Gradiente re-launched the "Gradiente Iphone" as an Android phone, which renewed the legal dispute. Apple challenged Gradiente's trademark, which led to the Brazilian regulator invalidating Gradiente's exclusive rights in 2013.

Despite this, Staub expressed his admiration for Steve Jobs, calling him a "genius", but argued that Gradiente's earlier product should be recognised. The case is still awaiting a final ruling by the Brazilian Supreme Court, with no trial date set yet.

Source: 9to5Mac