IGB Eletrônica

{{Infobox company

| name = IGB Eletrônica S.A.

| logo = Logo Gradiente.svg

| logo_size = 100px

| type = Sociedade Anônima

| traded_as = {{B3 (stock exchange)|cvm=6815|IGBR3}}

| foundation = 1964

| location = Manaus, Brazil

| key_people = Eugênio Emílio Staub, (CEO)

| industry = Electronics

| num_employees = 18,400

| revenue = {{profit}} US$ 588.2 million (2012)

| net_income = {{profit}} US$ 86.2 million (2012)

| products = televisions, flat panels, LCDs, plasma display, DVDs, hi-fi, home theater, portable audio, mobile phone, karaoke machines

| homepage = {{URL|www.igbeletronica.com}}
{{URL|www.gradiente.com.br}}

}}

IGB Eletrônica S.A. (Portuguese for IGB Electronics), doing business as Gradiente, is a Brazilian consumer electronics company based in Manaus, and with offices in São Paulo. The company designs and markets many product lines, including video (e.g. televisions, DVD players), audio, home theater, high end acoustics, office and mobile stereo, wireless, mobile/smart phones, and tablets for the Brazilian market.{{cite web|url=http://www.gradiente.com.br/|title=Loja Gradiente: Tablet, Smartphones, Cellures e Eletrônicos }}

History

The company was founded in 1964. Between 1985 and 1990 they sold the Gradiente Expert line of MSX compatible home computers.{{Cite web |title=Gradiente Expert XP-800 |url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=832 |access-date=2023-05-20 |website=www.old-computers.com}}{{Cite web |date=2015-05-18 |title=5ª Sucesu e 18º Cong. Nacional da Informática |url=http://mueap.com.br/site/eventos-ver.php?t=1&a=85&c=264 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518091046/http://mueap.com.br/site/eventos-ver.php?t=1&a=85&c=264 |archive-date=2015-05-18 |access-date=2023-05-20 |website=Museu de Eventos - Anhembi |language=Portuguese}}{{Cite news |date=October 2, 1985 |title=Uma Vitrine Renovada |url=http://mueap.com.br/site/uploaded_files/eventos_1_imagem2_264_2249.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518091048/http://mueap.com.br/site/uploaded_files/eventos_1_imagem2_264_2249.pdf |archive-date=May 18, 2015 |access-date=November 4, 2018 |work=VEJA |pages=88, 89 |language=Portuguese |issue=891}}{{Cite web |title=GRADIENTE Expert Plus |url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=807 |url-status= |website=OLD-COMPUTERS.COM}} In 1993 they founded Playtronic, a fully owned subsidiary who licensed the manufacturing of Nintendo consoles in Brazil,{{cite web|url=http://www.gamestudies.org/0202/lugo/ |title=Latin America's New Cultural Industries Still Play Old Games |publisher=Game Studies |access-date=2013-03-15}} and while publishing games for various systems they also provided Portuguese translations of some games (among them, South Park and Shadow Man for the Nintendo 64). However, they stopped the partnership with Nintendo in 2003 because of the high price of the dollar at the time.

In 1997, Gradiente established a joint venture with Finland-based telecommunications manufacturing firm Nokia, where they were granted the license to manufacture variants of Nokia mobile phones locally under the Nokia and Gradiente brand names.{{Cite news |title=Nokia acquired Gradiente's share in Brazilian manufacturing joint venture NGI |url=https://pnrlogin.globenewswire.com/?ReturnUrl=%2fnews-release%2f2000%2f10%2f20%2f1845768%2f0%2fen%2fNokia-acquired-Gradiente-s-share-in-Brazilian-manufacturing-joint-venture-NGI.html |access-date=2021-01-21}}

iPhone trademark conflict

In 2000, Gradiente, now legally known as IGB Eletrônica SA,{{cite web|url=http://www.igbeletronica.com/ |title=IGB |publisher=Igbeletronica.com |access-date=2013-03-15}} filed for the brand name "iphone" in Brazil's INPI (National Institute of Industrial Property, the trademark authority).{{cite web|url=http://www.inpi.gov.br/portal/ |title=Portal INPI |publisher=Inpi.gov.br |access-date=2013-03-15}} Gradiente first used the iPhone brand on a licence-built variant of the Nokia 7160,{{Cite web |last=Plaza |first=William R. |date=2023-06-06 |title=Gradiente x Apple: entenda em detalhes essa treta |url=https://www.hardware.com.br/artigos/gradiente-x-apple-entenda-em-detalhes-essa-treta/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Hardware.com.br |language=pt-br}} but it wasn't until 2008 when the Brazilian government granted full brand ownership for Gradiente, and the company has since sold Android-based smartphones under this name.{{cite web |url=http://www.gradiente.com.br/prod/vit_c/23/11/smartphone-linha-g-gradiente-iphone-modelo-neo-one-gc-500-sf-dual-chip-android-23-3g-wi-fi-camera-5mp-cartao-2gb-grafite.aspx |title=Smartphone Gradiente Neo One GC 500 SF, Dual Chip, Android 2.3.4, 3G |publisher=Gradiente |date=2012-08-24 |access-date=2013-03-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130316213006/http://www.gradiente.com.br/prod/vit_c/23/11/smartphone-linha-g-gradiente-iphone-modelo-neo-one-gc-500-sf-dual-chip-android-23-3g-wi-fi-camera-5mp-cartao-2gb-grafite.aspx |archive-date=2013-03-16 }} Until 2008 that trademark is fully owned by IGB Eletrônica SA, which released its Android-powered iphone neo one under the Gradiente brand.{{cite web|url=http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/telecom-consultant-thinks-apple-will-buy-brazil-iphone-trademark |title=Telecom Consultant Thinks Apple Will Buy Brazil iPhone Trademark |publisher=The Mac Observer |date=2012-12-27 |access-date=2013-03-15}}{{cite web |url=http://www.gradiente.com.br/prod/busca/23/0/Smartphone%20linha%20G%20Gradiente%20iphone,%20modelo%20Neo%20One%20GC%20500%20SF,%20Dual%20Chip,%20Android%2023,%203G,%20Wi-fi,%20Camera%205MP,%20Cartao%202GB%20Grafite.aspx |title=Gradiente website with their iphone |publisher=Gradiente.com.br |date=2012-08-24 |access-date=2013-03-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121230184514/http://www.gradiente.com.br/prod/busca/23/0/Smartphone%20linha%20G%20Gradiente%20iphone,%20modelo%20Neo%20One%20GC%20500%20SF,%20Dual%20Chip,%20Android%2023,%203G,%20Wi-fi,%20Camera%205MP,%20Cartao%202GB%20Grafite.aspx |archive-date=2012-12-30 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/brazilian-company-launches-android-powered-iphone |title=Brazilian Company Launches Android-Powered 'IPHONE' |publisher=The Mac Observer |access-date=2013-03-15}} The iphone neo one is sold for R$ 599 (about US$287), a dual-SIM handset running Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread. It has a 3.7-inch, 320 x 480 display, a 700 MHz CPU, 2GB of expandable storage, Bluetooth, 3G, WiFi and 5 / 0.3-megapixel camera.{{cite web |last=Nelson |first=Randy |url=http://www.tuaw.com/2012/12/18/brazils-new-iphone-isnt-what-you-think/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121220060856/http://www.tuaw.com/2012/12/18/brazils-new-iphone-isnt-what-you-think/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 20, 2012 |title=Brazil's new 'iphone' isn't what you think | TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog |publisher=TUAW |date=2012-12-18 |access-date=2013-03-15 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.admr.com.br/v/4 |title=Vídeo: Gradiente é dona da marca iPhone no Brasil |publisher=Admr.com.br |date=2013-02-13 |access-date=2013-03-15}}