Today Walkman, tomorrow Compact Disc or Windows?
Published: 6 June 2002 11:45 GMT
A landmark ruling has declared that Sony has no claim over the name 'Walkman', which an Austrian Supreme Court says is now a generic term for personal stereos.
In part the Austrian case hinged on the fact the word 'walkman' appears in German language dictionaries, described as a personal stereo, but with no mention of Sony.
Sony had been battling to protect its trademark since 1994 when a wholesaler in Austria began using the term in reference to personal stereos made by other manufacturers.
After eight years in court, Sony intends to continue the case to protect the word it brought into public usage in the early eighties.
The company said the word is its private property.
The Austrian case may set a precedent for other trademarks which have lapsed into common usage - such as Compact Disc or even Windows.
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