| The term intellectual property is a big part of today's | | | | A trademark lets a company that has a created an |
| technology lingo and it is definitely something that | | | | application, protect its name, look, feel, and various |
| iPhone developers need to look into when creating an | | | | other items of the app so other iPhone developers |
| innovative application. In this article I will go over | | | | can't create a copycat to confuse buyers into buying |
| ways that an iPhone developer can protect their | | | | it. If you're trying to identify your iPhone application |
| intellectual property. | | | | and services to your consumers and you want to |
| There are three major types of intellectual property: | | | | prevent others from copying those names then |
| 1. Copyright | | | | trademark protection may be for you. |
| 2. Trademark | | | | Patents |
| 3. Patent | | | | A patent is a government granted monopoly. A |
| Copyright | | | | patent is the hardest intellectual property to gain: you |
| Copyright is a fairly simple concept and basically | | | | file a patent and then wait, often years. If you don't |
| means that when you create an application, write an | | | | have tens of thousands of dollars it can cost for a |
| article, or make song it is automatically protected. | | | | law firm to draft your patent, you can, with the help |
| People cannot just simply go and copy your | | | | of a lawyer, buy some initial protection for your |
| intellectual property without your consent. If you're | | | | application. You can file a provisional patent for about |
| trying to protect your video, graphics, and text from | | | | $1,000 bucks. This gives you a year to file the real |
| being directly and literally copied, a copyright may be | | | | one and provides some evidence of the date in |
| the best defense for you. | | | | which you invented your application. |
| Trademarks | | | | |