Apple Cinemas plans to open 100 theaters nationwide, including one near Cupertino.
Apple alleges the chain used its name to secure favorable mall deals.
The lawsuit follows cease-and-desist letters and a trademark rejection from the USPTO.
Apple has filed a lawsuit against the Massachusetts-based theater chain Apple Cinemas alleging a trademark infringement. The iPhone maker has accused the company of leveraging its globally recognised brand name as it pushes for aggressive nationwide growth.
SurveyApple, in a lawsuit filed in Boston federal court, alleges that Apple Cinemas’ name is likely to cause confusion among consumers and dilute Apple’s brand identity, specifically as the theater chain expands into markets where Apple has already maintained a strong retail presence.
This legal filing comes after Apple Cinemas opened a new theatre in San Francisco, a short drive from Apple’s Cupertino campus. According to the lawsuit, the cinema chain, which has been operating in New England since 2013, plans to open 100 new locations across North America over the next ten years.
According to the lawsuit, the cinema group used the same name to secure favourable leases in shopping malls, with some landlords mistaking the theatre for one affiliated with the tech company. Apple Stores frequently serve as anchor tenants in malls, and the lawsuit alleges that Apple Cinemas is attempting to replicate that draw with a confusingly similar brand name.
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The complaint also cites social media posts in which users questioned whether Apple Cinemas was part of Apple, causing widespread confusion among citizens. The company also claims that the theatre company has already ignored some cease and desist letters and that the US Patent and Trademark Office has declined to register Apple Cinemas’ trademarks.
Apple is now seeking a court order to prevent the theatre chain from using the “Apple” name again, as well as monetary damages. The case is titled Apple Inc v. Sand Media Corp, U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, No. 1:25-cv-12173.
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Ashish Singh
Ashish Singh is the Chief Copy Editor at Digit. He's been wrangling tech jargon since 2020 (Times Internet, Jagran English '22). When not policing commas, he's likely fueling his gadget habit with coffee, strategising his next virtual race, or plotting a road trip to test the latest in-car tech. He speaks fluent Geek. View Full Profile
