The Swiss Federal Railway service (Schweizerische Bundesbahnen) is accusing Apple of copying their iconic clock for the iPad Clock app without permission, reports Tages-Anzeiger.
MacRumors notes that the clock was designed by Hans Hilfiker and has become an icon of both the Swiss railway and of Switzerland itself. The Swiss Federal Railways service does own the trademark and copyright for the clock.
SBB is the sole owner of the trademark and copyright of the railway clock. The railway company will now get in touch with Apple. The aim is a legal, as well as a financial solution. It is not right that one [Apple] simply copies the design.
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Comments (17)
Comments are closed for this article.
0
Faraday - September 20, 2012 at 11:59pm
Just saw the Braun radio... Ives clearly ripped that off! But I don't care, I'd rather have a decent mp3 player than a radio! ;-)
0
Simon - September 20, 2012 at 9:52pm
Copying and reinventing apps already available from Cydia! Look at you IOS map, it looks like a flintstone map.
0
gringo - September 20, 2012 at 9:43pm
I can't see a similarity at all. However, I was all confused when looking at a Galaxy S phone and my iPhone. And, don't tell me Galaxy S had Samsung written right on the face, because I couldn't notice that either... /s
0
cuckoo - September 20, 2012 at 9:20pm
Oh, and the unique feature of these swiss clocks is that they run in such a way that the second hand stays still for a few seconds at the the top of every minute, does the app do that too?
0
cuckoo - September 20, 2012 at 9:16pm
I live in Switzerland and the app clock doesn't look remotely like the ones I see in train stations everyday (except the colour scheme). In fact it looks more like the speedo clock in UK swimming pools! May be apple need to add an extra hour if the swiss own a 12 hour clock !?!
0
Simon - September 20, 2012 at 8:28pm
Oh and I bet it was Samsung that brought this to their attention.
0
Simon - September 20, 2012 at 8:26pm
Not very iconic if no one has heard of it. People just want in on the cash cow that is apple. Apple will release a update to iOS to get ride of the clock face and that will be the end of it.
0
joao carlos - September 20, 2012 at 8:08pm
trademark infrindgement is an offense and if the swiss railway holds the the registered trademark and apple uses this without expressed permission the swiss company is well with in their right to sue for royalties . fyi do you for every portable cd player or walkman made by any manufacturer . they have to pay royalties to sony . as the concept and design for the portable device (cd player etc.) was developed by them and they were first to market the device.
0
Noman - September 20, 2012 at 7:47pm
And the Swiss are being damaged how?
0
Hemanth - September 20, 2012 at 7:43pm
It is a silly thing
0
Kev - September 20, 2012 at 7:30pm
I think Apple will sue the swiss railway saying that Apple invented time, and also invented a round clock face with 2 hands and a red second hand on it ..If its done in the same court as the samsung case they will win .. but only in America, land of the free of course ..
0
King - September 20, 2012 at 7:15pm
LoooooooooöøòÅL
0
Tom - September 20, 2012 at 7:12pm
The hands of the clock are different.
0
Hoajah - September 20, 2012 at 7:10pm
How is it iconic If no one knows what it is?
0
SaSh72 - September 20, 2012 at 7:06pm
Where is this clock cuz I've never seen it!
0
Random - September 20, 2012 at 8:17pm
Good point made well.
0
Swiss - September 20, 2012 at 9:25pm
Hello
I'm from Switzerland and this is a typical watch on all railway stations in Switzerland. Look on google pictures "swiss railway station watch"...
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