Apple wants to trademark an image of an apple in Switzerland, and this could force a 111-year-old fruit company to change its logo.

Apple wants to claim depictions of actual apples.

This reminds me of the Big Mac decision. I can’t remember where but there was a burger place that had a Big Mac burger but the name was not a copy of the McDonalds one, it was iirc because the owner’s name was Mac. Anyway, they lost the case and therefore lost copyright protection on Big Mac, so Hungry Jacks/Burger King started renaming all their burgers to something something big Mac, just to mess with them. Maybe Apple will bite of more than they can chew and end up losing protection for the Apple logo or similar things.

Emi
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92Y

It isn’t even their logo, they are trying to copyright images of apples.

“We have a hard time understanding this, because it’s not like they’re trying to protect their bitten apple,” Fruit Union Suisse director Jimmy Mariéthoz was quoted as saying by the outlet. “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.”

BrooklynMan
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92Y

Leave it to “Android Authority” to throw a shit fit over a nothing story. Apple lost this application in 2017, and will almost certainly lose this appeal filed in April. Yes, it’s silly, but this article makes it sound like Apple is committing some sort of unspeakable crime, which it isn’t.

Calm down, everyone.

The crime that these corporations are committing is robbing the public of it’s own iconography, or trying to anyway.

BrooklynMan
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2Y

hahahahahaha, hilarious.

first of all, this isn’t a crime. second, nothing has happened yet-- and, even if the Swiss government rules in favor of Apple, they would be the ones to blame for allowing it. All Apple did was ask. Finally, that other company’s logo does not belong to the public-- it belongs to that other company.

Emi
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52Y

Important not from that article:

It’s not the first time we’ve seen big tech companies attempt to trademark common terms or goods. However, a study by the Tech Transparency Project found that Apple filed more trademark oppositions over a three-year period than Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook combined.

If you think trademarking of common terms is a bad thing at all, apple seems to be the worst among big tech firms.

P.S. this “Android Authority” article put apple in the correct light in my opinion after reading it, and I use a lot of Apple products.

BrooklynMan
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2Y

this whole argument is preposterous on its face to blame apple for anything when the problem is the laws which allow it. where’s the outrage for the swiss apple company with their trademarked apple logo? nowhere.

you hate apple, and that’s the source of the outrage and why you blame them rather than the courts and legislatures for their crappy IP laws.

By this logic, if there’s a law somewhere that unintentionally allows them to crush orphans, they aren’t malicious to do so.

Apple and other corporations lobby for this kind of crappy IP law, so they can sue people.

Apple expanded into this market recently and are pretending to be the incumbent apple themed brand in that space in the whole world.

BrooklynMan
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2Y

By this logic, if there’s a law somewhere that unintentionally allows them to crush orphans, they aren’t malicious to do so.

That’s not logic, that’s a logical fallacy:

False equivalence

A false equivalence or false equivalency is an informal fallacy in which an equivalence is drawn between two subjects based on flawed or false reasoning. This fallacy is categorized as a fallacy of inconsistency. Colloquially, a false equivalence is often called “comparing apples and oranges.”

or in this case, comparing a copyright claim to mass child murder… also…

Apple and other corporations lobby for this kind of crappy IP law, so they can sue people.

prove that Apple lobbied the Swiss government for this law or for a favorable outcome. I’m pretty confident that you can’t, and that you’re making up this claim because you can’t make an argument without fabricating claims

Apple expanded into this market recently…

Apple products have been available for purchase in Switzerland for decades.

…and are pretending to be the incumbent apple themed brand in that space in the whole world.

i don’t think you know what the word “incumbent” means, but you not liking apple or the fact that they’re prolific or popular is not tantamount to a crime. it’s pretty entitled to claim that your personal opinion should have any bearing on the legality of another person’s or company’s actions.

Apple lobbies for laws that benefit them all the time. Note that this is a general statement, and not about their activity in Switzerland, just like my previous statement.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/11/20/apple-uighur/

https://readsludge.com/2023/01/23/apple-spent-record-amount-on-lobbying-as-it-fought-antitrust-legislation/

https://mobilesyrup.com/2022/03/16/apple-google-lobby-group-backs-weak-us-privacy-laws/

https://lobbycanada.gc.ca/app/secure/ocl/lrs/do/clntSmmry?clientOrgCorpNumber=363634&sMdKy=1627941425600

Apple watches have not been available for decades.

I’m trying to convey that Apple is an exploitative company. If this offends you, that’s weird, is your laptop the lynchpin in your personality?

I’m sorry for triggering you I’ll try to be more sensitive of your needs.

BurnTheRight
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22Y

Found Tim Apple!

Except if it’s trying, then it is trying to commit a crime. If they lost, they lost. But, they’re back to try and steal it again.

BrooklynMan
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02Y

You obviously don’t understand the definition of the word “crime“. Causing you personal offense isn’t a “crime,” lol.

It shows the intent of the company and the lack of morals. They are assholes. It’s that simple.

BrooklynMan
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02Y

so, when rational argument fails you, you just devolve to swearing and name-calling…

In my mind, it’s criminal to attack this company. I’m not a lawyer of course, but if they failed once and, are trying again, it shows how aggressive they are. I feel the other company should be able to sue Apple for their aggression and obvious false claim. When something is as clearly false as apple’s claim, then it really does fall into bullying, and again, in my mind, criminal activity. A serial corporate aggressor should be labelled criminal and I guess it’s up to the other company to see if they feel it’s worth suing to prove Apple are criminal or not, and I suspect with the sheer size of Apple, it probably won’t happen. Oh, and I have no problem calling them out for how their behaving. They’re bullying this company, they’re groundless in their false claims, and yes, they are assholes for it. Calling a company out for this kind of behaviour is pretty normal. Look at reddit right now.

BrooklynMan
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02Y

i suggest you familiarize yourself with the definition of “crime”, and note that causing you personal offense is not part of that definition. And, since you have admitted that you’re not a lawyer, I find it pretty galling that you nonetheless process to make unfounded legal claims as if you were.

I’d suggest you take a course in socialising and people skills. Your responses to everyone on this topic are out of hand.

I’m not sure if you have a condition, and if you do I’m sorry to hear. I very much recommend social interaction training. Currently, you’re just coming across as an ass to everyone in this thread.

BrooklynMan
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2Y

personal insults do not a valid argument make.

I’m not here to make everyone feel warm and fuzzy for their fallacious and fact-free arguments. and if people feel so outraged that I had the gall to contradict them, then I’m certainly not the one with a “condition”.

pushka
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52Y

They tried to sue Australian grocery-duopolly Woolworths for their apple/ pumpkin type W logo

fear
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62Y

This just in, Apple sues the estate of 2000+ year old man for his depiction of an apple in Genesis, the popular and riveting first book in the collaborative effort written 2 millennia ago: The Bible.

I reached out to Apple’s PR representative, I’ll let you know if they get back to me.

pushka
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Actually Moses was VERY prudent, and strategically didn’t use the exact word ‘apple’ only ‘fruit’ and ‘of the tree’ - because he knew apple would be a litigious bitch


Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

fear
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32Y

Apple’s PR representative stated:

If all apples are fruit, and all fruit are of a tree, then surely all fruit of a tree are apples. The world needs to understand that every fruit is our intellectual property now. We’ve earned that place with our iconic innovation. We’re currently in talks with Fruit of the Loom, and our team is confident that they will rebrand as ‘Of the Loom’. It’s a fresh, modern take for their products that will be mutually beneficial to both parties.

I reached out to Fruit of the Loom’s PR representative, nothing yet.

Can companies just fuck off with this. Monster energy does the same thing. Also fuck Apple.

torafugu
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52Y

Time to get my “Made for iPhone Granny Smith Apples”.

cthonctic
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32Y

Apple is a litigation company disguised as hardware sales. Steve “thermonuclear war” Jobs saw to this.

Btw, why Apple still didn’t sue Nothing for their phone (1), the design of the LEDs on the back of the phone looks almost exactly like Apple logo

OrangeCorvus
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22Y

OK this happens in Switzerland, yeah, I don’t think they have any chance. If it would have been in the US, maybe but in Europe, it’s a lot harder if you want to bully another company.

I love apple products, and have been a mac user since the 80s, but this is just silly.

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