Apple Inc. (AAPL) Now Picking On Small Fry in Poland?

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) might just have an agreement to keep lawyers busy in as many countries as possible. Attorneys are already hard at work in several countries, fighting for and/or defending the company in several patent and copyright battles in an effort to keep Apple’s competitive and innovative advantages in intellectual property, with near disregard for the reputational effects.

Now, the latest Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) salvo has sent lawyers to Poland, of all places, to challenge – of all things – an online grocery retailer. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has filed a complaint in the Polish patent office against online grocery retailer A.pl, accusing the Web site of using one of its icons on its logo and leveraging Apple’s brand to draw visitors to its own Web site.

A patent office spokesman said about the complaint, “Apple brand is widely recognised and the company says that A.pl, by using the name that sounds similar, is using Apple’s reputation.” Of course, A.pl chief executive Radoslaw Celinski calls the charge “ludicrous.” No date for a hearing has been set at this point.

Maybe it’s just us, but this might smell a little like legal bullying on the part of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). The company would seem to be pretty busy with all of its intellectual-property battles, and to take on a small online grocery Web site in Poland shouldn’t necessarily be high on the company’s priority list – like this is a use of power just because it has the power. What do you think – is Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) right to pursue this, or do you think it should back off and focus on more important things? Leave your thoughts below.