Apple And Amazon Ordered To Meet Over App Store Court Case

If you're not familiar with the legal battle between Apple and Amazon, the two companies have been fighting over the term "app store" for quite some time now, and they have a trial date set for August 19 later this year. However, the judge presiding over the case has ordered the two companies to talk it out first before heading into the court room.

According to Bloomberg, representatives and lawyers from both companies will be required to meet on March 21 in order to attempt to reach a settlement. And while both sides could end up just going 'round and 'round, the judge has strictly enforced that "no participant in the settlement conference will be permitted to leave the settlement conference before it is concluded."

Of course, it's very likely that a settlement won't be reached. Apple and Amazon have been battling over use of the "app store" term for almost two years now. Apple says that Amazon has inappropriately used its App Store name to promote the Amazon Appstore, and the Cupertino-based company says it's their trademarked name, while Amazon argues that it's a generic term.

Recently, however, the court dismissed Apple's claim that Amazon's use of the term was false advertising, but the larger infringement case is still set to occur later this year. So while Apple and Amazon will be forced to meet in a conference room to discuss their differences, we're not sure how it will turn out exactly — stay tuned until late March when the two companies face one another.

[via Bloomberg]