Cartier drops lawsuit against Apple over iPhone app

What was to be the battle of the brands never even got started.  Hours after filing suit against Apple today for allowing a third party iPhone developer to post an application depicting a Cartier watch image in the app, Cartier International dropped the suit.

The apps in question, Fake Watch by Digitopolis'  and Fake Watch Gold Edition, are time-displaying iPhone apps that were alleged to have improperly used Cartier's trademarks.

It appears Apple has removed the program as quickly as it was approved.   "Our concerns have been addressed," said Jonathan Lagarenne, the attorney for Fox Rothschild LLD representing Cartier.  An Apple spokesman also confirmed that the lawsuits were dropped.

Apple has been receiving a lot of criticism for the way it is handling its app approval process.  Applications are getting denied for silly reasons like a book reader that can download the Karma Sutra while apps like "Fake Watches" and "Baby Shaker" breeze through the approval process.

The website describes the app below.  There wasn't much attempt to hide the copyright infringement nature of the program.

Fake Watch application displays time on your iPhone and does nothing else in terms of functionality.

While most of us dislike the fake wristwatch, the reality is that we need keen eyes to distinguish the real ones from the fake ones thus many people being cheated buying fakes sold as the real thing.

The application comes with 5 look-alike famous wristwatches. Choose the style that go well with your style whether it’s luxury, fashion or sport watch. This is a kind of soft-training tool for general public. Spot the details of “fakeness” in those watches just for fun. There’s no better way to make a statement than this.

Keep the fakes real fake and buying only real ones. We are giving outthis application for free.