Apple made a big splash with the release of its first VR/AR headset, the Apple Vision Pro. However, it appears that Huawei has beaten it to the punch, at least in China, where Huawei operates.

A trademark application for the phrase "Vision Pro" was filed in May 2019, MyDrivers reports. This is a little over four years before Apple's Vision Pro surfaced at WWDC. The trademark is valid from 2021 to 2031, and its documentation can be found in the Chinese Trademark Office database.

This trademark does not mean much. Say what you will about the way companies register simple words and phrases as trademarks, but this is the system. In this case, the phrase "Vision Pro" is widely trademarked with respect to computing and displays. No exact reference to VR/AR with similar functionality can be found, which could save Apple's bid to get its own trademark related to these specific types of products, but Huawei may have it covered with the use of a catch-all phrase.

Apple plans to launch its own Vision Pro in 2024, although it can only secure that name for 10 years. If it wants to keep the name in China at that point, it will likely be forced to enter into a licensing agreement with Huawei.

Apple's other options are: 1, ignore Huawei's copyright and risk the wrath of Huawei's legal team and China's intellectual property legislation; 2, change the name in China; or 3, not sell the device in China altogether.

Since we can't just close our eyes and hope the trademark lawsuits go away, negotiating would be the most likely course of action for Apple if Huawei is willing to do so and let us use their name for a reasonable fee.

If you are wondering what Huawei is using the trademark for, it currently has a TV with the Vision Pro name, and if it so desires it could expand its brand to more products in China. Huawei does not have much of a presence in the U.S. anymore due to government restrictions on its U.S. operations.

A search for Vision Pro in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office database reveals a mountain of variations on the already registered name, including "Vision Pro" registered by ClearView Systems in Florida. There is also the trademark "VisionPro" by Murray Equipment. Neither has anything to do with AR/VR and almost nothing to do with computing. However, it is quite possible that Apple has already fallen into the position of having to pay for the privilege of using this name in the US.

At the very least, the company, which is worth trillions of dollars, has spare cash.

As mentioned before, Apple has a little time to fix this problem; the Apple Vision Pro is scheduled for release in early 2024.