Apple’s ongoing fight to get control of the iPhone brand in Mexico is running into a bit of trouble, with El Universal and Electronista reporting today that a Mexican court denied “Apple’s injunction request on the grounds that the iPhone brand is too phonetically similar to iFone.” The iFone brand is owned by a Mexican telecommunications company that apparently registered its trademark in 2003—four years before Apple:
It’s a possibility this could change Apple’s plans to launch the iPhone 5 this Friday on a number of Mexican carriers, but it’s more likely the company will appeal the decision or reach a settlement with iFone. We’ll update you when we learn more.
