Apple may sue company over Steve Jobs action figure


5 Jan 2012

In Icons' action figure of late Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs

Consumer tech giant Apple is reportedly threatening to sue Chinese company In Icons, the maker of an action figure in the likeness of late Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs.

In Icons was set to ship the 12-inch figurine next month at a price of US$99, but now that may be in doubt as Apple is allegedly threatening to sue the company unless it ceases trading. Apple claims it owns the rights over the likeness of Jobs.

Apple, The Telegraph reported, reportedly told In Icons in a letter that any toy that resembles Apple’s logo, person’s name, appearance or likeness of its products is a criminal offence.

The action figure sports sneakers, blue jeans and Jobs’ trademark black turtleneck jumper. The toy also comes with glasses, a leather belt, a pair of black socks, a bar stool, a “One More Thing” backdrop, and even two apples, one of which has a bite taken out of it.

The doll even comes with a spare pair of hands, which can make the action figure point in a Jobs-like fashion.

The Next Web reports In Icon boss Tandy Cheung as having said the company “will not stop, we already started production”.

Cheung also said he had spoken with lawyers in Hong Kong, who told him he was not violating Apple’s intellectual property as long as he didn’t include any Apple products.