A potential rivalry is emerging in the tech industry as Figma has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Lovable, a notable no-code AI startup, regarding the use of the term “Dev Mode” for a new feature. Figma confirmed this action to TechCrunch, highlighting that it successfully trademarked “Dev Mode” last year, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This situation is intriguing, as “dev mode” is a widely recognized term in software development, akin to an editing mode. Major tech companies, including Apple, Google, and Microsoft, have utilized similar terms, commonly referred to as “developer mode.” Furthermore, the term has been employed by Atlassian in products predating Figma’s trademark and is prevalent in numerous open-source projects. Figma clarifies that its trademark specifically pertains to the abbreviation “Dev Mode,” not the broader term “developer mode,” likening it to attempting to trademark the word “bug” in the context of debugging. To protect its trademark, Figma must act against perceived infringements, as failure to do so could result in the term becoming generic and unenforceable. Some commentators argue that the term is already generic and question the validity of its trademark status, suggesting that Lovable should resist Figma's demands. Lovable’s co-founder, Anton Osika, indicated that the company has no plans to comply with Figma’s request to change the feature name. Lovable positions itself as a competitor to Figma, promoting a product that allows users to create without the tedious prototyping associated with traditional tools. This trademark dispute reflects a broader competitive landscape, as Lovable gains traction in the emerging “vibe coding” sector. Figma, valued at $12.5 billion last year, may face challenges should it decide to pursue legal action against Lovable, which recently secured $15 million in seed funding. As the situation develops, Lovable’s leadership remains confident, with Osika suggesting that Figma should concentrate on enhancing its offerings rather than engaging in trademark disputes.
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