Apple Trademarks 'iPad Mini' in the U.S.
Trademark protection on the iPad Mini brand also filed in Europe and Canada.
Apple filed for an 'iPad Mini' trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office last week.
The device maker referred to the recently-released tablet in the application as a fully-fledged device, which offers a slew of features ranging from calendaring to web connectivity.
Apple said the iPad Mini is a "handheld mobile digital electronic device comprising a tablet computer, electronic book and periodical reader, digital audio and video player, camera, electronic personal organizer, personal digital assistant, electronic calendar, and mapping and global positioning system (GPS) device, and capable of providing access to the Internet and sending, receiving, and storing messages and other data."
With the U.S. filing now complete, Apple filed for trademark protection on the iPad Mini brand earlier this month within Europe and Canada.
During its first three days of availability, the iPad Mini alongside the iPad 4 and 2 cumulatively sold three million units.

They're foreshadowing how apple is going to sue everyone that has "mini" in a product name.
They're foreshadowing how apple is going to sue everyone that has "mini" in a product name.
wonder did mr.bean patent his mini austin......
It is ok to call you product iPad mini as long as it doesn't fulfill any said "functions". If one made a compact personal hygiene product and named it iPad mini that would be an acceptable use of the name as it is not in direct competition and it won't confuse customers.
Apple doesn't really care... They do sue market chains around the world just for having a Apple symbol, even though it doesn't look anything like Apple's.
Here is a tip, if you see an article written by Zak Islam, close the tab.
Apple said the iPad Mini is a "handheld mobile digital electronic device comprising a tablet computer, electronic book and periodical reader, digital audio and video player, camera, electronic personal organizer, personal digital assistant, electronic calendar, and mapping and global positioning system (GPS) device, and capable of providing access to the Internet and sending, receiving, and storing messages and other data."
That is nothing more than lazy reporting / advertising. I dont mind apple news as long as its news.
This is not a patent, its a trademark.
Do you know they patented the layout of the stairs in their shops? hahaha
If they could block the SPAM and the ads (ie, CDW) I'd pay a little bit to subscribe. Really.
Well, they have released a self-replicating pheromone that turns many into isheep. Odorless, colorlessn it can be quite effective.
The first iPod was released on 10/23/01 -- so with their practice of a slight upgrade every "few months", then we must be on around generation 40 or so. Wait we aren't??
iPod Classic; seven models with release dates spanning six years... about one per year.
iPod Mini; two versions released over a year apart
iPod Nano; seven versions spanning seven years
iPod Shuffle; four versions over 5+ years
iPod Touch; five versions spanning 5 years
Seems fairly consistent at about one per year. Even if you take all five versions of the iPod [that are very to vastly different from each other], that is 25 models in 10 years, still a long way from 'every few months'. Though if you felt slighted that you bought a Gen4 IPod shuffle on release and just eight days later there was a shiny new iPod Touch Gen4 available, I think you might be a bit of a loon anyways.