Two stores in Queens, New York, accused of selling unauthorized Apple products, agreed to hand over anything bearing the Apple name or logo, as part of the company's fight against counterfeiting.
The terms are part of a settlement in a trademark infringement lawsuit filed in Brooklyn last July against the "Apple Story" and "Fun Zone" stores in the Chinatown section of Flushing Queens.
The stores, which deny they sold fake Apple cases, headsets and other accessories, will have five days to turn over any counterfeit products in their inventories, as well as any labels, packaging, and promotional materials that bear Apple trademarks, if U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto approves the settlement.
The products reportedly mimic the trademark designs of Apple products and include the phrases "Designed by Apple in California" and "Assembled in China." In addition, the Apple Story outlet agreed to change its name in response to Apple's contention that it is too similar to the company's "Apple Store" trademark.
Both store owners agreed not to destroy any records pertaining to the manufacturing, distribution, sale or receipt of the products identified as fakes by Apple.
The California company has been busy stemming the tide of counterfeit stores both at home and abroad. Last month, authorities discovered nearly two dozen unauthorized Apple retailers in China. The locations were all ordered to cease using and selling Apple's trademark logo and products.
One store in the Chinese city of Kunming, masquerading as an official retail outlet, copied the original store design closely in its attempt to pass itself off as an official Apple outlet. The store featured displays nearly identical to those typical of an official Apple store, complete with wooden tables, promotional posters sporting official images and employees wearing blue t-shirts with Apple's trademark logo and name badges. The outlet fooled even its workers, who thought they were employed by the Cupertino, Calif.-based firm.
