Apple Cinemas responds to lawsuit from tech giant
Apple Cinemas is standing its ground after Apple Inc. accused it of trademark infringement, saying its name and branding are "clearly distinct and fully compliant with all applicable trademark laws."
The tech giant filed the lawsuit following the cinema chain's expansion—especially near Cupertino—arguing that people might get confused between the two brands.
Apple Cinemas's growth and origins
Apple Cinemas runs 14 theaters (mostly in the Northeast) and just opened its first West Coast spot in San Francisco this year.
The company says its apple-themed logo comes from local roots—not any link to Apple Inc.—and it plans to grow to over 100 locations nationwide.
Apple's concerns and legal actions
Apple Inc. claims that as Apple Cinemas expands, especially close to its own HQ, people are mixing up the two companies—pointing to social media confusion.
It wants damages and a court order.
Cinema chain's stance on the issue
Apple Cinemas insists it has always been transparent with legal matters and partners like IMAX and ScreenX, emphasizing it operates independently:
"We have responded reasonably and transparently to all legal communications regarding this matter and remain focused on growing our business and brand in good faith, as we have for over a decade," they said, highlighting their commitment to staying within trademark laws while keeping their own identity clear.