Patently Apple reports that Apple has applied for the iCloud trademark in Europe. While this should come as a shock to no-one, it’s good news that Apple’s swiftly getting all their ducks in a row.
The European filing covers twelve separate classes: delivering digital music by telecommunications, electronic storage, online social networking services, multimedia content for a fee or pre-paid subscription, computer software, electronic books and magazines, entertainment, photographic services, business management and advertising services, games, headgear and digital devices/computers.
Judging by this huge list of categories, it seems that iCloud might be far more than a mere rehash of MobileMe. From 9to5Mac:
Think cloud locker that scans your iTunes library, making available matching media for streaming without the need to tediously upload your music, movies and TV shows to Apple’s servers. Hope this works with all media, not just the iTunes Store purchases, though.
In their application, Apple cited an application filed in Jamaica (interesting, under the name iCloud, which hadn’t caught on in the blogosphere yet at that time) on December 7, 2010 for its priority registration date.
iCloud trademarks are currently registered in the United States and Europe to Xcerion, the company behind the earlier iCloud service that recently rebranded itself as CloudMe after Apple reportedly purchased the domain and perhaps other rights to the iCloud name.