A Hamilton-based company which makes cases for smartphones has won a New Zealand trademark dispute with technology giant and iPhone maker Apple.
The fight, at the New Zealand Intellectual Property Office, was over whether the New Zealand firm could register the trademark "DRIPHONE''.
driPhone is a Hamilton company which makes waterproof and shockproof cases for smartphones. It sells protective cases for devices such as the iPhone and iPad as well as Android phones.
driPhone's director Hayden Crowther applied to register the trademark "Driphone" for waterproof electronic cases in August 2011 but this was opposed by tech giant Apple.
Apple has registered trademarks for the iPhone in New Zealand and argued the "driphone" mark would likely deceive or cause confusion.