A week ago we informed you that Apple had result impossible to register trademark iPad mini since the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) had rejected their request, finding that the term mini was merely descriptive when referring to size. Now this institution takes a step back and withdraw those objections initially raised giving the opportunity to those of Cupertino to register the commercial name.
In a communication dated April 3, the United States Patents and Trademarks Office admits that after a more careful review of the application it considers that the rejection extended in the first instance should be withdrawn. They later apologize for the inconvenience caused.
A little later and with greater extension it is specified that remove the initial rejection for the merely descriptive function of the term mini and also the rejection by no correspondence between the product sold and its appearance on the page websites. This last reason for rejection referred to the difficulty of identifying the product that was sold to us on the Apple website according to its design.
The truth is that this last objection was really incomprehensible and even ridiculous and it is good that it is recognized. However, the first reason for objection had more substance and a discussion in that sense could be understood.
The communication also informs those of Cupertino that, despite the official withdrawal of the rejections, they must formalize a document of resignation to some aspects initially proposed in the application to avoid that it can continue to be rejected.
Specifically, they refer to the fact that Apple has to make it clear that what they want to register is the full name of the iPad mini and that they renounce having exclusivity on such a descriptive and generic word as mini.
Anticipating that this will not pose any problem for those of Cupertino, we can intuit that they will soon have full exploitation rights of the name of their product as a brand in the United States.
Source: Mac Rumors