Hi all,<p>I am currently developing a game application for iOS devices, however a competitor has just released a very similar game using the exact name I wish to use (e.g. It's like I am developing a black-jack card game and a competitor has just released a similar card game for sale in the app store called "black-jack").<p>Although I'm obviously biased, I think my game is a superior implementation and is ultimately a much more polished app. Accordingly, I believe that my app is a better product overall and would be obviously different if customers were choosing between my app and my competitor's app (i.e. similar functionality/gameplay, but completely different user interface).<p>The problem is I want to keep the name if possible since the name describes the game itself, I have secured a relevant domain name, and the name is still available in the Android market (which would be my second target market).<p>What would you suggest?<p>* 1. Should I persist and submit the app under the "shared" name? (Wouldn't a submission like this be rejected straight away?)
* 2. Should I change my app's name subtlety to differentiate my product? (e.g. something like "black-jack.com's black-jack" or "iBlack-Jack" instead of just "black-jack" which is already taken)
* 3. Should I just cut my losses with the app store and concentrate on the Android Market?<p>Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.<p>Cheers,
niqolas
If you think you have a superior product then don't 'cut your losses' :)<p>Change the name of your app. From what I can tell, the app name in question is very generic since it<p>a) describes the game itself<p>b) was taken up by a competitor in the same field<p>Give it a more unique name.<p>Canabalt sounds much nicer than 'iRunner'<p>Frankly, if I were looking for a blackjack game, I would be more likely to click on one called 'DoubleDown' than one called 'BlackJack' (though admittedly that's just me)<p>Keep your current domain name the same and use it or additionally secure another domain for your app.<p>Names are overrated. If you don't believe me, look at the names of some of the top sellers
If the name in question is truly generic then consider a name like "BlackJack Pro" or "BlackJack Plus". That way you get the benefit of appearing alongside your competitor's implementation in any search for BlackJack, and give the impression you're offering a superior product.<p>If the name isn't truly generic you might run into major trademark issues doing that, of course.
I don't think you'll even be able to complete the submission process with a duplicate name.<p>One tip I would offer is to use your competitor's app name in your list of keywords so you can come up next to them in searches. I suppose that might be dirty pool to some but it's worth a shot if you have some space left for extra keywords.