Apple. Google. A word that rhymes with “pluck”. What do all these words have in common? You’re not allowed to have them engraved onto your new Moto X.
The highly customizable Moto X lets users change a number of the device’s colors, as well as lets them put a customized engraving on. There is, however, a filter which prevents customers from putting a number of swear words into this engraving. This filter also contains a few trademarked terms that users aren’t allowed to engrave either.
While buyers aren’t allowed to make their engraving, “F*ck you this is my phone”, they’re equally not allowed to make their caption, “Boy, do I love Google.” Or “Apple makes for worthy competition.” In fact, the word Apple can’t be used at all, no matter what context it’s in. “An Apple a day…” gives you the same “We’d rather you not say that. How about another try?” error spiel. There is now debate as to whether Motorola’s going a bit too far with this.
A popular assumption is that Motorola has chosen to do this to try and avoid lawsuits for violating other companies’ trademarks, even though Motorola being successfully sued for something that a customer chose to have engraved on their device sounds like a stretch. Customers aren’t even allowed to use the term “Droid”, a word that Motorola doesn’t actually own the trademark to.
On the other hand though, some words, like “Facebook”, work perfectly fine, while Motorola is owned by Google yet the word Google is still unusable. This makes you wonder how Motorola is choosing these words at all.
If you hoped on making your engraving, “Google, Droid, Apple. I love them all.” you’re in for a disappointment.
