Apple, who is suing Amazon for trademark infringement, claims that "app store" does no mean a store for apps.

Last month, when Amazon started its Android app store, Apple sued them claiming that app store is an Apple trademark. Amazon responded by saying that app store is a generic term and Apple should not be allowed to trademark it - a position which Microsoft is also taking.

Yesterday, Apple has filed its reply - the most ridiculous one at that. Apple says that the words "app store" together does not mean a store for apps.

Apple denies that, based on their common meaning, the words ‘app store’ together denote a store for apps.

The term isn’t commonly used by businesses to describe download services and, because the mark “app store” isn’t generic, Amazon’s Appstore for Android service isn’t an “app store".

I am sure that Apple has a lot of well paid lawyers but I cannot even comprehend the ridiculousness of this reply. I wonder what a store which sells grocery is called. Oh right, it is called a grocery store. Apple's reply is akin to saying that the words "grocery store" together does not denote a store that sells grocery. Really, Apple?

Why does Apple even think that they can trademark "app store" in the first place? Can you image what will happen when people start trademarking "grocery store", "coffee shop" ?

Meanwhile Microsoft is trying to prevent Apple from officially getting "App Store" trademarked. Like Amazon, they are arguing that "app store" is a generic term. And, oh, there was that case of Apple CEO Steve Jobs referring to the stores for Android apps as, guess what, "app store". Really classy Apple.