From "Trademark Filings Suggest Apple May Be Securing ‘Reality’ Names for AR/VR Headset" posted Sunday on Bloomberg:
Trademark filings suggest that Apple Inc. may be staking claim to potential names for its highly anticipated mixed-reality headset, part of the tech giant’s push into its first new product category in years.
Applications were filed in the US, EU, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica and Uruguay for the names “Reality One,” “Reality Pro” and “Reality Processor.” Though Apple itself didn’t make the filings, they follow a pattern that the iPhone maker has used in the past—including relying on law firms that the company has previously enlisted to lock down brands.
A spokeswoman for Cupertino, California-based Apple declined to comment on the filings. The trademark applications haven’t yet been approved, and there’s no guarantee that Apple’s future products will carry any of the names.
Still, there are clues to suggest that Apple is laying the groundwork for its expansion into headsets. Earlier this year, trademark filings linked to Apple also emerged for the realityOS name.
My take: Vladimir Nabokov wrote that "reality'" is the one word in the English language that should always appear in quotation marks. If Apple gets its trademark, will it have to be followed by (TM)?
We should note that Apple many time originates names and naming conventions (iDevice, numeric, S, Pro, Pod, Air, Max, Plus, etc.) and we see the copycats not only try to duplicate look and feel but names too, always, as usual, trying to ride on Apple’s coattails as carpetbaggers.
I hope Apple gets plenty of “Reality” based trademarks and makes great products which augment and enhance reality in a constructive, useful, and productive way. While others try glitz, Apple will provide tools and solutions.
– P.M. Dawn
I discovered this when I wanted to name my new company “The Hartford Communications Group” back in 1987. I called Hartford’s legal department before doing so and discussed it with them. I learned their trademark covered any combination of names that included “The” and “Group” in the name.
Hartford legal was so pleased that I had contacted them, that when they discovered my new company provided repair services for the telephone system they owned in several of their subsidiaries, they sent me about $100,000 worth of repair work over the next 12 months.
I ultimately named my firm “Hartford Communications Supply”. Had it for 17 years and opened offices in Hernando, MISS, Guadalajara, MEX, Beijing and Chengdu, PRC. I ran it all from Priest River, Idaho.
The headset is rumored to have an M class processor. That processor is largely a superset of all processors in Apple’s devices. Mixed reality promises a near infinite display located all around you and with depth. Or infinite displays. Mac displays, iPhone displays, iPad displays, Apple Watch displays and Apple TV displays all with virtual touch interaction. Are they bundling all Apple device displays, capable of multiples of each, in “One” virtual surround display?
Just a bit of fun speculation.