Presently, mobile app development market is going through a fiercely competitive stage. With such a challenging app market, numerous app development companies and start-ups want to launch unique apps with best features and functionalities in order to survive the market trends. Multitudes of applications are launched and downloaded every day.
Entrepreneurs who want to expand their app development business, have to come up with a brilliant idea to stand out as well as have to protect their very idea from getting stolen. Your app idea can be copied by anyone including your project team, business consultants, and your adversaries. When it comes to counterfeiting application’s idea, it involves loss of potential users along with investment and sales. Mobile app duplication has become prevalent in the past few years and it has become important for app entrepreneurs to contemplate different strategies to protect their intellectual property.
So, how can you actually protect your app’s idea? Check out the following ways to get a better outlook about protecting an app idea.
App Copyrighting
When it comes to the protection of intellectual property, copyright is the most recognized term. But there is a loophole. You can’t copyright an ‘idea’ or a ‘concept’. You can copyright the code and UI details but it is only viable when the whole app is copied. But the positive thing about copyrighting is that it is cost-effective in comparison to other options and in some ways provides a basic level of protection against direct copiers.
NDA (non-disclosure agreement)
NDA is one of the most common measures taken by organizations in order to protect their intellectual property. It is sensible to prepare an NDA and get it signed by the people (developers, designers, project managers or BDEs) working for your respective project.
Non-compete Agreement
A Non-compete agreement is signed in order to keep people from disclosing trade secrets to the adversaries. It means that the individuals working on your project are not allowed to work on any other project that directly jeopardizes your project. The project members will not work on your contender’s project for a specific timeframe, even when they have completed working on your project. Yes, this would definitely add to your expenses but it is better to safeguard your application’s idea then losing it all together.
Submit a Patent
Applying for a patent is quite complicated. It is considered critical as it takes 2-3 years for the patent to get issued. After your patent is issued, you have to protect the app functionalities as well as any kind of variations and development of the application by any adversary. Also, only unique and discreet functionalities are patentable. On the contrary, you can also apply for a provisional patent (it would protect your app’s idea for a year).
Trademarking
Trademark refrain others from using the words or tag lines or symbols such as icons and logos related to your application or service. Besides the logo and the name, you should also trademark the name of the all the services which your app provides. Trademark does not let your rivals create copies of your products with identical names or logos which might mislead your potential customers in buying their products rather than yours. In addition, it also protects you against potential lawsuits or legal issues.
Keep Documentation Records
Every small detail related to your application should be placed in writing only. Store all the app relevant documentation no matter how small it maybe. This will give you leverage if it comes to validating your point of view in the courtroom. Document the application’s code, every panel discussion sessions, transcript of every board meeting held virtually or in person with your professional advisors, prototypes, the final draft, etc. Everything should be in order; every minute app related detail should be recorded. This will be helpful in case any data gets disclosed from the recorded documentation you will have substantial proof as a backup.
App entrepreneurs need to hire a reliable team for their mobile app development project. They must work with people who can be trusted upon. If you are an entrepreneur and want to develop an application with a devoted team of app developers, you can contact Mobile app development India for your app development project.
