Huawei caught up with Apple and had the ‘Vision Pro’ patented for years!
As for the China market
In a truly surprising development, it appears that Huawei , one of Apple ‘s main competitors in the smartphone market , has already trademarked its ” Vision Pro ” in China, perhaps the most critical market for both tech giants.
The reveal comes on the heels of Apple’s recent announcement of its VR/AR headset at WWDC 2023. According to reports, Huawei filed for the “Vision Pro” trademark in May 2019, more than four years before its unveiling. Apple . The trademark was approved and effective from 2021 to 2031. Documentation can be found in the China Trademark Office database, clearly indicating Huawei’s registration.
While the brand covers a wide range of activities related to IT and visualization, there is no explicit reference to VR / AR functionality. This leaves room for Apple to potentially pursue its own trademark for these specific types of products. However, Huawei’s general phrases in its trademark registration may cause problems.
Apple plans to release Vision Pro in 2024, but if it does intend to use the name in China, it will likely have to negotiate an exclusive licensing deal with Huawei. Alternative options for Apple include ignoring Huawei’s copyright and risking legal consequences, changing the name to China, or deciding not to sell the device in the Chinese market altogether, which seems less likely.
It’s worth noting that Huawei already uses the Vision Pro name for a TV it sells in China, and could expand its use to other products. In the United States there is no such problem, but a search of the Patent and Trademark Office database reveals multiple variations of the name registered by different entities, though none specifically related to the AR/VR field.
