US, Chinese tech giants look to Singapore for IP services

This is the fourth in a series that highlights and examines legal topics of current interest against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. The aim of the articles by senior law correspondent K.C. Vijayan is to inform, educate and enhance awareness. Today's issue dwells on aspects of intellectual property.

APPLE: The US giant topped the filing list for design, which refers to features like shape and colour that distinguish the article or non-physical product. PHOTO: EPA-EFE HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES: The Chinese firm was the top filer for trademarks last yea
#1 PATENTS: ALIBABA GROUP: The Chinese tech giant was the top filer for patents in Singapore last year, according to figures from the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (Ipos). PHOTO: EPA-EFE
APPLE: The US giant topped the filing list for design, which refers to features like shape and colour that distinguish the article or non-physical product. PHOTO: EPA-EFE HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES: The Chinese firm was the top filer for trademarks last yea
#1 TRADEMARKS: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES: The Chinese firm was the top filer for trademarks last year, Ipos figures show. Such filings are about protecting brand recognition and reputation. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
APPLE: The US giant topped the filing list for design, which refers to features like shape and colour that distinguish the article or non-physical product. PHOTO: EPA-EFE HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES: The Chinese firm was the top filer for trademarks last yea
#1 DESIGN: APPLE: The US giant topped the filing list for design, which refers to features like shape and colour that distinguish the article or non-physical product. PHOTO: EPA-EFE
APPLE: The US giant topped the filing list for design, which refers to features like shape and colour that distinguish the article or non-physical product. PHOTO: EPA-EFE HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES: The Chinese firm was the top filer for trademarks last yea
MS SHARMAINE WU, director of patents, designs and plant varieties at Ipos.
APPLE: The US giant topped the filing list for design, which refers to features like shape and colour that distinguish the article or non-physical product. PHOTO: EPA-EFE HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES: The Chinese firm was the top filer for trademarks last yea
MS LEE SHULIN, legal talent recruiter.
APPLE: The US giant topped the filing list for design, which refers to features like shape and colour that distinguish the article or non-physical product. PHOTO: EPA-EFE HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES: The Chinese firm was the top filer for trademarks last yea
MR KRISTIAN ROBINSON, managing director of Spruson & Ferguson (Asia).
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Even as the United States leads in overall patent and trademark applications in Singapore, more Chinese companies are also filing here, posting the fastest growth rate among Asian countries in the last three years.

Figures from the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (Ipos) show Alibaba Group and Huawei Technologies ahead of US giants Qualcomm and Amazon Technologies as the top individual patent and trademark filing applicants last year respectively.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 03, 2020, with the headline US, Chinese tech giants look to Singapore for IP services. Subscribe