by 
Apple hasn’t even announced its long-rumored iWatch wearable device, but at least one other company is gearing up to fight that proposed branding. Swiss watch manufacturer Swatch confirmed over the weekend that it is working to protect its iSwatch line in case Apple decides to enter the market.
According to Bloomberg, Swatch has started alerting authorities in countries where it holds the iSwatch trademark to remind them of its ownership. “This is the normal procedure to protect your own brand name,” says Swatch’s chief executive officer, Nick Hayek. “We react like this for all other brand names that we have protected.”
That may be true, but while Swatch may be the world’s top manufacturer of watches, Apple could well become its biggest competitor to date should it enter the market as speculated. Last we heard, the iWatch is rumored to debut as early as August, and Apple recently extended its trademark coverage into a class that includes watches and jewelry.
Apple reportedly pursued an iWatch trademark in Japan last summer, and is seeking protection for the brand elsewhere. The Bloomberg report notes that Iceland recently denied such an application due to similarities with the iSwatch name, so we may see a wave of these trademark disputes pop up as Apple nears its next big projected product debut.
