SAN FRANCISCO (Dow Jones)--Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) is fighting Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) attempt to trademark the term "app store," saying it is a generic term used throughout the technology industry.
Apple originally filed for the trademark in 2008, when the Cupertino, Calif.-based consumer electronics giant launched its app store for the iPhone. Apple said at the time that the app store encompassed "retail store services featuring computer software provided via the Internet and other computer and electronic communication networks," among other things.
The app store has since grown into the world's largest mobile app marketplace, with more than 300,000 apps available for the company's iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad touchscreen tablet computer.
The app store also has been credited with being among the primary catalysts fueling the success of the company's devices. Competitors, including Google Inc. (GOOG), Hewlett-Packard Co.'s (HPQ) Palm unit and Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM), have since followed suit and opened their own app stores for mobile devices.
Microsoft, which launched its own app store last year with the release of its Windows Phone 7 smartphone operating system, said in a Monday filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that Apple shouldn't be allowed a trademark claim for the term "app store," because the term is widely used to describe many different companies' offerings.
"The term 'app store' should continue to be available for use by all without fear of reprisal by Apple," Microsoft Associate General Counsel Russell Pangborn said in an e-mailed statement. "An 'app store' is an 'app store.'"
An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment.
Microsoft filed its initial claim against the "app store" trademark in February last year.
Apple shares were up 0.7% to $343.85 and Microsoft shares had added 1.2% to $28.44 in recent trading.
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