- Compound terms can be inherently distinctive if their combined meaning is not directly descriptive.
- Long-term, exclusive use coupled with consumer recognition can establish secondary meaning.
- Companies can successfully defend “suggestive” marks even in highly descriptive industries like AR/VR technology.
For Apple, the decision strengthens its control over branding in the AR space, reinforcing its ecosystem as it develops new immersive technologies. For competitors, it’s a reminder that branding battles in emerging tech fields can be as critical—and costly—as the technological innovations themselves.
Next Steps
The court ordered the USPTO to register Reality Composer and Reality Converter as federal trademarks. Apple is expected to leverage this win in defending against future challenges to its AR branding and in pursuing its ongoing disputes with Zero Density over other “Reality”-formative marks.
