Apple appears to be using a shell company, “Brightflash USA LLC,” in the USA to covertly register iWatch trademarks however a search of both the Australian Securities and Investment Commission and the Trademarks database reveal no listing for Brightflash in Australia.
The firm is registered in Delaware, and has been tied to past trademarking efforts by Apple. The company has already requested iWatch trademarks in the US, the UK, Australia, the European Union, and Denmark. It has also filed for a trademark in dozens of other countries, ranging from smaller ones like Albania and Iceland through to China and India.
In each case the application is under Class 14, covering jewelry, clocks, and watches. Apple has been working to extend its namesake trademarks to that category.
One connection between Apple and Brightflash is the use of the same IP attorney.
Macrumors claims that In both iWatch trademark filings discovered today, Apple is listed as the company behind the requests and the company’s Infinite Loop address in Cupertino, California is included on the applications.
News of the iWatch, which is one possible name for Apple’s rumored smart watch, first surfaced in late 2012 and was followed by a patent application for a wraparound-style “wearable video device” in February.
According to reports, Apple has a team of 100 product designers working on the watch, which may include a 1.5-2.0 inch OLED display along with biometrics, iPod nano touch technology, and the ability to interact with existing iOS devices.
While it has been suggested that Apple’s smart watch could launch later this year, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has instead targeted a late 2014 release date for the iWatch, suggesting that Apple is not quite ready to ramp up production for a 2013 debut.
