Why you won't be able to buy a Moonraker smart watch

After Microsoft acquired Nokia, one of the projects they inherited was an entry in to the smartwatch market, in another 'me too' tech race with Apple and Samsung.

The watch was to be dubbed the 'Moonraker'.

Bonus: Microsoft Moonraker (dead) [first reported: https://t.co/ligsXkFocK] pic.twitter.com/epT8T3uDyL

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) July 8, 2016

Microsoft cancelled the project and headed off in the direction of fitness wearable tech instead.

There may not have been any legal barriers to dubbing the watch 'Moonraker' either, as Danjaq (the parent legal entity to EON Productions that controls the James Bond intellectual property) lost a trademark case against Fabergé who wanted to use the phrase 'From Russia With Love' on their products.

"Being seen as a reference to the film is not the same as the sign representing to the public that the goods are licensed goods," said Oliver Morris of the IPO in his adjudication.

Furthermore, Danjaq abandoned the Moonraker trademark in June 2009, just a few weeks before they lost the Fabergé case.

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