Apple Secures Trademark for Apple Store Design

[Michael Essany]

Apple has finally secured the legal trademark to the signature look, feel, and general design of the Apple Store.

The exterior as well as interior designs of the company's hugely profitable and lucrative retail stores are now the trademarked properties of Apple. According to a report late Tuesday from Reuters, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted Apple's request last week for the trademarks.

The description of the trademarks includes "a clear glass storefront surrounded by a paneled facade" and, within the store, an "oblong table with stools...set below video screens flush mounted on the back wall."

The move comes as the latest effort my Apple to crack down on copy cat retail stores, which are springing up with surprising frequency in markets around the world.

Apple has been pursuing trademark protection for the Apple store design since May 2010.

Source: Reuters

[Silverado1987]

So what about microsofts stores that look like apples? The gotta change?

[PokemonDesigner]

This is funny. Proves apple is a bunch of crybabies.

[sheon]

lol what cant u trademark in this country anymore....... and Apple would be the first to sue

[godfred212]

Apple will trademark it customers soon so we wouldn't be able to buy anything from another company what infants

[szr]

The description of the trademarks includes "a clear glass storefront surrounded by a paneled facade" and, within the store, an "oblong table with stools...set below video screens flush mounted on the back wall."

The problem with this is, unless there is more wording in there that narrows it down more, is that that description can describe some bars that I've seen in some places. Point being, these are not unique features, so I'm rather puzzled as to how a trademark could be secured based on that description.

[hollafront1314]

lol what cant u trademark in this country anymore....... and Apple would be the first to sue

apple forgot to trade mark the floor mat.... nevermind they did sigh

[shigh]

I should try to trademark or patent complaining about apple. Id be rich!

[Norb]

lol what cant u trademark in this country anymore....... and Apple would be the first to sue

Actually if you followed the news it turns out to be nothing... We will soon be like China where the knock-off iPhone is released and trademarked before the real one.

[Ambi_Valence]

Much as I think something with this kind of variation should NOT be able to patented, (although I'm sure none of us have seen the actual text of the patent application - remember what is show above is very likely a snippet posted to generate news on a news site???).
Apple do have a signature look with stores that i'd not seen anywhere previously but that I do see now, with remarkable similarity.

[lukeyb]

The description of the trademarks includes "a clear glass storefront surrounded by a paneled facade" and, within the store, an "oblong table with stools...set below video screens flush mounted on the back wall."

By that description GourmetBurgerKitchen is screwed.

[b1997469]

Wait for the next lawsuit. Samsung have a store and its also got windows....

[bmwraw8482]

Wait for the next lawsuit. Samsung have a store and its also got windows....

And walls! Do apple stores have rounded corners too?

[cgfusion]

Listen al, you cry babies who call Apple cry babies. If you owned a company and others like Shamesung and Microsoft were copying you, what would you do. Clearly Microsoft copied the look and feel, they just don't have the product. And Shamesung has built a company on copying others ideas and look. Try thinking before you whine.

[oneduality]

It's getting ridiculous .. soon Apple will be filing for patents on their employees and the food in their cafeteria .. The patent system needs an extreme overhaul!

There have ALWAYS been copycats in the industry.. it actually does spur innovation because it pushes them to continue to strive to be different and it lets those that ARE different shine... Patents can also be just completely stupid such as patenting rounded edges or a finger gesture... Imagine 100 years of this when there's hardly anything left to patent? You'll have to buy a license to stand a certain way.

[Faresismail]

So what about microsofts stores that look like apples? They gotta change?

Hahahaha LOL

[b1997469]

Listen al, you cry babies who call Apple cry babies. If you owned a company and others like Shamesung and Microsoft were copying you, what would you do. Clearly Microsoft copied the look and feel, they just don't have the product. And Shamesung has built a company on copying others ideas and look. Try thinking before you whine.

UUMMM, wasn't it Samsung that had mobile phones years before Apple did? So who did the copying?
Wasn't it Android that had a notifications bar before Apple did? So again who did the copying?
Wasn't it someone else that did just about everything the iphone does now BEFORE the iPhone did? So who is the real copycat here?

Who patents everything even if someone else did it first then sues the original real owner? I would believe that would be Apple and thats the only original thing they do.

It's getting ridiculous .. soon Apple will be filing for patents on their employees and the food in their cafeteria .. The patent system needs an extreme overhaul!

There have ALWAYS been copycats in the industry.. it actually does spur innovation because it pushes them to continue to strive to be different and it lets those that ARE different shine... Patents can also be just completely stupid such as patenting rounded edges or a finger gesture... Imagine 100 years of this when there's hardly anything left to patent? You'll have to buy a license to stand a certain way.

The problem with what your saying is Apple dont change. Have a look at their computers. They look identical these days to 5 year ago. Just a big silver screen and a minimalist keyboard and mouse. Nothing has changed for many years.

And with iPhones they are the same, look at the design of the 3G to 3GS then the iPhone 4 isn't changed much instead of rounded edges its now flat but from front on it still looks the same. Then the 4S still nothing then the 5 and oh its a tiny bit longer....

Now go have a look at Samsung's Galaxy S1,2,3 models. They are completely different. Just looking at them you can tell them apart easily.

Apple are the ones that need to change but dont and they complain about other companies making their products similar or "rounded edges" and they are forced to change where Apple stay the same all along.

This is why Galaxy S* devices are the wanted device as they do change. Adding a tiny bit of length isn't a change, its just stretching what you have and hoping nobody notices and call it a big change.

[Ambi_Valence]

UUMMM, wasn't it Samsung that had mobile phones years before Apple did? So who did the copying?
Wasn't it Android that had a notifications bar before Apple did? So again who did the copying?
Wasn't it someone else that did just about everything the iphone does now BEFORE the iPhone did? So who is the real copycat here?

Who patents everything even if someone else did it first then sues the original real owner? I would believe that would be Apple and thats the only original thing they do.

You are a dufus.
Samsung didn't invent the mobile phone. This point is moot.
Notifications can be achieved in many different ways.
It matters not who invented something first. Law only permits those who own the rights to it unlimited freedom. You have no proof who invented an item or an idea at whatever time, what you can prove is the date of registration.

Although a little odd, this particular case is I'm sure about those stores that look so much like Apples stores that it's blatant copying. Don't be an idiot. It's not about Apple suing because Microsoft acorss the mall from them used, SHOCK!!, real people to sell their goods too, just like Apple.
Pop into ANY Apple store and then Staples or Wall Mart for example. They are markedly different.

[thazsar]

The problem with this is, unless there is more wording in there that narrows it down more, is that that description can describe some bars that I've seen in some places. Point being, these are not unique features, so I'm rather puzzled as to how a trademark could be secured based on that description.

The funny thing about trademarks is that you can alter it just a little and its not infringement anymore. When they are that vague, then there's a whole lot of room for variation by other entities.

[Norb]

Wait for the next lawsuit. Samsung have a store and its also got windows....

Yeah, glad you brought that up.