> If I were Apple I'd come up with a name unique to the Chinese market.

Apple has done this for their lesser product. AirPort is released as AirMac in Japan, for example.

$1.6B is nothing to Apple. They had $80B in cash at the end of September and could very well pass $100B after the holidays.

I don't think there's any way Apple will dilute the brand of one of their flagship products in their hottest market. Plus, it works both ways: they would have to find a trademark that works everywhere else so that competitors don't snatch up the new trademark in other countries.

Having the money and it being nothing are different.

If I need to I could come up with $10,000 for something. That doesn't mean that it's not significant and it doesn't mean that it's the right thing to do if I have an alternative.

The cost of switching to a different name isn't $0, though. Both the cost and added complexity is significant. Some considerations:

* Cost of finding and registering a different trademark that's available worldwide.

* Cost of developing new marketing materials.

* Cost of tweaking software to use new name.

* Cost of tweaking production lines to print new name on devices and packaging.

* Cost of lost sales due to customer confusion (Chinese traveling to America; Foreigners traveling to China).

I'm not saying that there are no costs, there clearly are, the most significant of which is brand dilution.

What I'm saying is that $1.6bn is clearly not nothing, not to Apple, not to anyone.

You know how many lawyers you can buy for $1.6B? Here's a hint: LOTS OF LAWYERS.

You know how many officials you can bribe with $1.6 B? Here's a hint: LOTS OF THEM.