Since 2017, Apple has been trying to secure a trademark for its apple logo in Switzerland and other countries. In Switzerland, they applied for intellectual property rights for a black-and-white image of a Granny Smith apple. In 2022, the Swiss Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) partially approved Apple’s request, stating that generic images of common objects belong to the public domain.
However, Apple has appealed the decision, and the details of the appeal are not publicly disclosed without Apple’s consent. It is known that the appeal involves the use of audiovisual footage. If Apple wins the legal battle and obtains exclusive rights to their requested apple depiction, it would have significant implications beyond the technology industry.
The Fruit Union Suisse (FUS), an organization with a long history, uses a logo that features a red apple with a white Swiss cross on it. Apple’s claim reportedly goes beyond their bitten apple logo and includes all depictions of apples in general. This could potentially force the FUS to change its logo. The FUS finds it hard to understand Apple’s objective, as they believe that the image of an apple is a universally recognized symbol that should be freely available for everyone to use.
