Research in Motion has filed an opposition motion in Canada, attempting to block an Apple trademark application for the term "WebKit," notes Patently Apple. In the short term the move will give RIM some extra time to prepare a case, the deadline being November 22nd. Apple first filed for the application in May 2010.
WebKit is the rendering engine underlying Apple's Safari browser. It is also used in Android, Chrome, webOS and some other platforms however, as the code is actually open-source, something Apple implemented in 2005. A trademark would have no impact on who could use the technology.
It might have an effect on marketing though, as only Apple would be allowed to use the WebKit name. The company could be hoping to brand the engine as an advantage of Apple products, even though its implementation is just one of several. RIM's opposition likely stems from being headquartered in Canada and using WebKit in the BlackBerry OS.
