Did you know Apple let iPad.com expire? That’s what one internet firm (wrongly) claims.

Firm uses iPad.com domain as an example of a cybersquatter snagging an expiring domain. But that’s not true.

From the “right idea, wrong example” department…

Newcastle, England firm Zebra Internet Services is now pitching “domain portfolio management” to help its clients protect against cybersquatters that might grab their domain names when they expire.

The Journal in Newcastle covered the product launch in a story that kind of misses the mark overall.

Here’s the part that not only misses the mark, but is factually incorrect. This is a Zebra employee being quoted:

“Still, many business owners do not know who their domain names are registered with, when renewal is due or even if the registration details are correct.

“If renewal is overlooked, or registration details are incorrect, then it can be snapped up by cyber squatters – as with Apple’s iPad.com registration – or simply cause websites and email accounts to disappear, as occurred with Clydesdale Bank in August 2013.”

Wait–what? Apple forgot to renew iPad.com and it was snapped up by a cybersquatter?

That’s some revisionist history right there. Apple never owned iPad.com, and it’s not owned by a cybersquatter. The domain name was registered back in 1997, well ahead of the iPad was even a twinkle in Steve Jobs’ eyes.

(Hat tip Name Ninja)