Apple may need to change the name of its new mixed-reality headset when released in China unless it can work out a deal with Huawei, the owner of the “Vision Pro” trademark in that country.
As originally spotted by MyDrivers, the trademark was originally granted to Huawei on May 16, 2019, and gives the company exclusive rights to its use in China from November 28, 2021 to November 27, 2031.
Unlike many trademarks of this type, the Vision Pro trademark is actively used by Huawei in China, marketing several products under the “Vision” name, including smart glasses and smart TVs. Unless Apple has plans to use another name for its product, it will need to enter negotiations with Huawei to use the trademark in China.
Apple has previously paid a Chinese company to use a product name in the country. Apple in 2012 paid Proview Technology $60 million for the rights to the “iPad” trademark in China. Apple paid out the settlement following an extended court case in which Apple had argued that it already had the rights to the name, due to a deal with Proview’s Taiwanese arm.
Apple plans to launch its Vision Pro headset in the United States early next year, expanding the availability of the product to other countries later in 2024.
