USPTO reverses itself on iPAD mini trademark request

Last week we reported on the bizarre rejection of Apple’s trademark request for iPAD MINI. Now it appears someone higher-up also looked at the reasoning with incredulity and overruled that determination.  MacRumors discovered later paperwork that the objections have been withdrawn, for the most part. Here’s the way the USPTO notice reads:

This Office action supersedes any previous Office action issued in connection with this application.

Upon further review of the application, the examining attorney has determined that the following refusals issued in the initial Office action should be withdrawn.

 [And this we love…Ed.] The examining attorney apologizes for any inconvenience caused.

REFUSALS WITHDRAWN:

The Trademark Act Section 2(e)(1) descriptiveness refusal and the Sections 1 and 45 specimen refusal are both withdrawn.

USPTO was careful to note that they still have to research if others have filed a similar trademark request that pre-dated Apple. There is also a request for clarification that Apple is only looking to secure the word “mini” as it relates to the iPAD mini and not in a way that would prohibit others from using it. Good news for Apple; embarrassing news for USPTO.