Apple has been banned from using the word "multitouch"

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has denied Apple the trademark "Multi-Touch." The patent office believes the word has a "universal meaning," meaning it can be applied to products from other companies as well as Apple devices.

The committee's official conclusion states that the word "multitouch" describes the way users interact with devices.

The application for registration of the "multi-touch" trademark was filed in January 2007, on the eve of the release of the first iPhone smartphone model.

The term "multi-touch" refers to the screen's ability to respond to two or more simultaneous touches. This feature is common to most modern smartphones.