Apple seeks trademark for apple images, launches appeal in Switzerland

Apple is embroiled in a legal battle as it seeks to secure trademarks for images of apples – the fruit, not the computers.

The company has been pursuing this trademark in Switzerland since 2017 and has initiated similar applications in several other countries, as reported by Wired UK.

Recently, Apple submitted an application to the Swiss Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) for the intellectual property (IP) rights to a monochromatic representation of a Granny Smith apple. In 2022, the IPI partially granted Apple's request, asserting that generic depictions of common items fall within the public domain.

Nevertheless, Apple is now launching an appeal to further its cause. Due to the ongoing nature of the case and the requirement for consent from Apple, the IPI is unable to disclose specific details regarding the company's appeal. However, it has been revealed that the appeal involves potential uses for audiovisual footage.

Should Apple succeed in its legal endeavour, the implications would extend well beyond the confines of the technology industry. The Fruit Union Suisse (FUS), an organisation with a history spanning 111 years, currently sports a logo depicting a red apple adorned with a white Swiss cross. However, Apple's pursuit of IP rights for all apple depictions, not solely its iconic bitten apple logo, could force the association to reconsider its branding.

Expressing their confusion, Jimmy Mariethoz, the director of FUS, conveyed their perspective to Wired, stating, "We have a hard time understanding this because it's not like they're trying to protect their bitten apple. Their objective here is really to own the rights to an actual apple, which, for us, is something that is really almost universal... that should be free for everyone to use."