Comments on: Cartier sues Apple, then withdraws suit

Luxury watchmaker sued Apple on Friday because of third-party iPhone apps that tells time via a fake watch display. Satisfied that Apple had removed the apps, Cartier decides to drop the suit the next day.

[mrcjacobs]

Why God why? Enough with the ridiculous Apple related stores already! If it's not the idiocy of the App Store vetting process it's stories like this. Please stop reporting this BS and get back to real news!!

[pbh444]

Is this worth a blog? X sues Y. Y complies. X drops suit,

THAT should have been your headline; as it is now, the readers are teased to believe the lawsuit had no merit.

Journalism 101

[Mary7Lynn]

What? Cartier want Apple to remove free ad for them?

[rapier1]

The issue is that the design of the watches are likely covered by some combination of trademark and design patent. Being that this isn't just an image but also simulates the function of the watch (even though it isn't actually embodied in an actual watch) I can see how this can cause some IP hassles. My guess is that Apple refused to withdraw the app through the normal cease and desist process which lead to the filing of the lawsuit.

It can be argued that this is free advertisement but Cartier has a legal obligation to go after anything that smacks of trademark and/or patent infringement.

[Thomas, David]

Cartier must be desperate for money.

[Perry_Clease]

Sales of watches are down. A lot of people are using cell phones as their timepiece.

[baconstang]

My cell, iPod.... even my digi camera has watch. Who needs a watch?

[rapier1]

Do you honestly think that someone who buys a Cartier watch cares about what time the thing says? The very very cheapest ones start at $1,500. They average in the low five figures and can go for over $200,000. These watches are *not* about telling time. Luxury watch sales are down but not because people are using cell phones instead.

[Perry_Clease]

"Do you honestly think that someone who buys a Cartier watch cares about what time the thing says?

Yes

[topgunb2]

"Do you honestly think that someone who buys a Cartier watch cares about what time the thing says?

"Yes"

NO

[Seaspray0]

Why spend a fortune on a cartier wrist watch when you can get a different wrist watch for the fraction of the price? They all have digital time pieces which keep time to within a few seconds every month. The one I'm wearing does everything I need it to do (even water resistant to 150 meters) and I didn't have to spend a fortune on it. I don't care how good the name may be, if you can't provide value, I won't buy it.

[rapier1]

@Perry_Clease,

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Mr. Dee]

Jim, I suspect you are not an Apple Mac OS user based on the screenshot in the article of iTunes running on Windows XP with the Silver Theme. ;)

[jdalrymple2]

Been a Mac user for 16 years. As the photo credit indicates, the screenshot came from the company's Web site. The app was already gone when I went in for my own screenshot.

[Mr. Dee]

My apologies if I some how wrinkled your Mac integrity. I think its time you move to Windows anyway.

[kcotham]

@Mr. Dee
Get a life.

[Jon_Ostrega]

El Jobso likely called Cartier management and told them to drop this BS.

[Seaspray0]

cartier should have gone after the source, not the distribution point.

[monkeyfun14]

@seaspray

The quickest way to solve a problem is going after the distribution.

[codynews]

As someone with a Cartier Roadster chrono, I could have saved lots of $ by getting this app :)

Cody

[rapier1]

You could have saved a lot of money by getting a Timex too.

[globalist_agenda]

I'm boycotting Car-teer. I'm donating the Marcello handbag to Goodwill and pouring the Roadster perfume down the drain. That'll teach 'em.

[fortyonejb]

I hope cnet doesn't have to pay much to these bloggers, writing about their pet interests and reporting niche news that maybe 7 people in the world might actually care about. bravo

[myles taylor]

Seven people? More people than that commented and most people don't comment or even register.

[myles taylor]

Apple makes a good target. It's weird how that happens. People always aim at the biggest target because it's easiest to hit. That's why Microsoft has made a good target. Not a good idea to sue banks or car companies right now.

[kcotham]

I give Cartier credit that they dropped the suit when Apple removed the application. But Cartier went after Apple only, not the company that produced the application. Why? Apple has more money, that's why. It's disgusting that we live in such a litigious society. Rome became like this, just before it's fall. History repeats itself people.

[myles taylor]

I agree with you about everything...almost. History repeats itself, yes. Rome wasn't "like this" before it's fall. Nice one, but without getting into a history lesson there, you're wrong on that point.

[rapier1]

I really doubt it was about the money. If it was they wouldn't have dropped the suit. They were just playing hardball to make sure the app came down.

And yeah, rome was like this for hundreds of years before the fall to be honest. Very litigious society from way way back.

[Seaspray0]

@rapier1. To make it complete, lets bring back the roman orgies.

[monkeyfun14]

@Kco

It solves problems easier to have the distributer to get rid of the application then putz around with the creator in a lawsuit while the App is still being distributed.

[XiroMisho]

This one is actually merited... Your application cannot have copyright materials in it that are not your own. NIN is behind the NIN application, so he can put any song he wants on that... and the Kindle app can look exactly like Kindle because Amazon made it... however the "Fake Watch" app cannot exist because it uses popular watch faces, which is the IP of these watch makers, without credit to the designers...

Watches are incredibly complex devices, the designs are very coveted, so these guys don't like to see imitators of any sort.

[billanator]

"My cell, iPod.... even my digi camera has watch. Who needs a watch?"

By the time you where able to pull out your phone to tell someone the time, three people would have told the time, already.

I carry a digital watch on my arm, not an overpriced shiny thing. Watches will still be useful because it's readily available and you don't have to dig it out of your pocket/pouch.

[w162nd44111]

For those of you who think Cartier is some old French guy with a screwdriver...

Despite downturn, Richemont shows growth
May 14, 2009

Geneva--Swiss luxury goods group Richemont saw sales increase 2 percent to approximately $7.36 billion for the year ended March 31, 2009, with 10 percent growth during the first six months of the year offset by a 5 percent sales decline during the second half due to the worldwide economic slowdown, the company announced on Thursday.

Richemont's Jewellery Maisons sector, which includes Cartier and Van Cleef and Arpels, experienced a 4 percent increase in sales to about $3.76 billion for the year.

According to the company, despite a difficult trading environment, Cartier reported another record year in sales and profitability, with strength in high-end jewelry sales made exclusively through Cartier's own boutique network of 172 stores, as well as in high-end watches and Ballon bleu.

Van Cleef and Arpels reported good sales growth, albeit from a significantly lower base.

Meanwhile, the company's Specialist Watchmakers sector, which includes A. Lange and Sohne, Baume and Mercier, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Officine Panerai, Piaget, Ralph Lauren Watches, Roger Dubuis and Vacheron Constantin, saw sales increase 4 percent to about $1.96 billion for the year.

According to Richemont, sales at IWC, Jaeger Le-Coultre and Vacheron Constantin were particularly strong, and all the long-held Maisons were profitable. The company did, however, incur specific charges related to the acquisition of the Roger Dubuis business, which partly accounted for the reduction in profitability for the business area as a whole. In January 2009, the joint venture with Polo Ralph Lauren premiered its product range, but this had no impact on sales during the year.

From a regional standpoint, sales in European markets increased 3 percent, which reflects a modest increase in established markets and double-digit sales growth in certain developing markets in the region, such as the Middle East.

Sales growth in the Asia-Pacific region remained buoyant, according to the company, although the rate of growth slowed during the course of the year. The strategic importance to the company of the Chinese market was underlined by the continued expansion of Richemont's distribution network there. Sales in the region now represent 27 percent of total sales.

The Americas region reported a 12 percent sales decrease for the year: The modest sales decrease in the first six months was followed by a very significant slowdown during the second half of the year as the economic difficulties there impacted consumer confidence and purchasing power. Sales in the Americas represent 16 percent of total sales.

The Japanese market remained challenging throughout the year, with sales in local currency terms 12 percent lower than the prior year, Richemont said. The significant strengthening of the yen relative to the euro during the year largely offset this decrease in euro terms. Sales in Japan represent 13 percent of total Richemont sales.

The company also announced that Norbert Platt has indicated his intention to retire at the end of the year after five years as Richemont's chief executive officer.

Looking ahead, Richemont said sales in the first month of its new financial year were 19 percent lower compared with April 2008, a significant decrease that was unexpected. Still, the company said it has prepared for the downturn and has the resources available to support its Maisons, colleagues and clientele.

"There are currently very few encouraging signs in the global economic picture. Given these conditions, we cannot predict when an overall improvement in trading will come about," Richemont Executive Chairman Johann Rupert said in a media release. "Having prepared for the downturn...we will emerge from these economic headwinds in a much stronger competitive position--however long it may take."

[jakeZ2]

This wasn't just another company going after Apple for cash. Their logo and product image were both being used without permission. I'm sure they contacted Apple first to remove the content within a specified amount of time. When it wasn't done they filed the the suit. The suit was dropped as soon as the content was removed.

Apple has done the same thing, though their exact logo wasn't being used.

http://gizmodo.com/5059881/apple-sues-school-for-using-the-same-fruit-in-a-logo

[knowles2]

Clearly a money making scheme going on here, as soon as they realise they was not going to make money any money they pull out of the lawsuit.