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Score one for Sky: Microsoft has to change the name of SkyDrive to avoid confusion with the British satellite TV broadcaster.
A UK court has ruled in favour of British Sky Broadcasting Group’s contention that the naming of Microsoft’s SkyDrive cloud storage service infringes on the Sky trademark.
As a result of this British ruling, Microsoft is changing the name of SkyDrive across the world.
Microsoft isn’t appealing the ruling, but doesn’t have to make the changes straight away. BSkyB and Microsoft are keeping tight-lipped about the arrangement, but Sky has agreed to let Microsoft keep using the name for a “reasonable period of time, to allow for an orderly transition to a new brand”.
Microsoft can’t be too upset with Sky though: it’s reported to be in talks with the dishy broadcaster over dishing out subsidised Xbox One games consoles to customers.
SkyDrive allows you to access and share your files whenever you have an Internet connection, on your Windows PC or tablet, or on your Windows Phone phone.
Microsoft previously had to stop using the word ‘Metro’ for its styling of Windows 8 after a company of that name complained. And in another example of a potential trademark tiff between a UK TV channel and a technology giant, ITV reportedly warned Apple off the name ‘iTV’.
Can people tell the difference between Sky and SkyDrive? What should Microsoft rename SkyDrive? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook wall.
