Apple’s worldwide iWatch trademark tour could come to a standstill in the US.
OMG Electronics, a little-known electronics firm, has been touting its efforts to build a smart wristwatch that it calls the iWatch, which it is trying to trademark in the US. The owner said it still in the process of sealing the rights.
Meanwhile, Apple is reportedly looking to secure the trademark in Russia, Japan, Turkey and Taiwan, among other countries.
The owner of Fresno, Calif.-based OMG identified himself as Jim Lee when reached by The Post. “We are working with companies to create the ultimate device,” Lee told The Post. “It is not something we jumped into or a name we just got.”
OMG’s website already hawks an assortment of “unlocked” smartphone watches that can be programmed to work with wireless providers such as Verizon and AT&T.
OMG has a YouTube video that shows a concept pitch for the device to raise money through crowdfunding site Indiegogo. It raised just $1,434 nine months ago.
In the video, a spokesman named Mike does his best Steve Jobs impression to lure consumers to the watch idea.
“The power and fun of a smartphone can now be on your wrist,” he says. “I’m Mike and this is the iWatch. It’s an amazing blend of form and function.
“You might be asking yourself are these guys serious? Yes, we are,” he continues. “We finalized the design and secured the trademark and the iWatch is absolutely real.”
Any product with a lowercase “i” before its name has become synonymous with Apple, and the Cupertino, Calif., tech giant has fought a number of trademark battles to win rights in the US and abroad for its i-gadgets.