“Swiss national train operator SBB said Friday it is to meet Apple representatives after the tech giant used without agreement its famous clock design on a new application for iPad and iPhone,” AFP reports. “The clock was designed in 1944 by Swiss engineer Hans Hilfiker and remains the property of SBB. It is still used in SBB’s stations.”
“‘There’s been no agreement so far, we’re going to talk about it,’ SBB press spokeswoman Patricia Claivaz told AFP, adding that the rail firm’s lawyers had requested the meeting,” AFP reports. “Claivaz dismissed reports that the rail company was intent on demanding financial compensation from Apple as ‘speculation,’ adding that SBB did not intend to ‘upset them by asking for money.'”
AFP reports, “Instead, the railway spokeswoman said, SBB was proud that its Swiss-designed station clock face had been chosen ‘for 80 million iPads’ after realising that the iPad apparently reproduced the SBB clock design on one of its new apps iOS 6. ‘We’re rather proud that a brand as important as Apple is using our design, it’s already on show in exhibitions in places like New York,’ said Claivaz.”
Read more in the full article here.
Related article:
Swiss Federal Railways accuses Apple of copying its iconic railway clock – September 21, 2012
So what do the Swiss want, if its not money?
I guess iPads and iPhones for all their staff 😉
They are likely not asking for money prior to conversations with Apple to indicate they want the resolution to be friendly. They want to hear what Apple has to say before discussing solutions.
Is sounds like they are open to Apple keeping the design as it would reinforce their heritage prestige (probably with acknowledgement and payment of some kind) but will be happy if Apple simply changes it.
This is the classy way to handle this type of thing.
right. apple should withdraw ridiculous argument about infringing round corner design against samsung. it was laughable. Swiss rail company sues rotten apple. don’t just sit in there. demand $10 billions. apple should learn the lesson.
Edward,
I need to get you a shovel. It really is piling up around you. How can you stand the stench?
I think you’re right. They may ask for money, but more importantly they want recognition. If they were smart (and so far it looks like they’re going about this the right way), they’ll find a way to leverage the hundreds of millions of exposures they’ll receive through the iPad over the next few years.
They want to solve this the swiss way, i.e. through talks between grown ups!
Maybe just respect by adding the design of the clock owned by SBB in the legal notices. Where it should be.
The Swiss probably want chocolate after the money. Then the free iPads and iPhones. 🙂
Just bring your checkbook Apple. Clear cut case of oops. Free rail tokens for the Swiss for a year!
It wasn’t “oops”, it was “shhh. . . “
Pretty cool that they appear to be flattered that Apple chose their iconic design. I do still think that Apple should license the use of the design, or at the very least, give proper credit to SBB and Hans Hilfiker for the design on an “information” page within the app or something.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that they used the design when I opened the app the first time.
I love one feature of the SBB clock.
The minute hand jumps to the next minute when the second hand hits 12.
Watch the time display in the app long enough, and it happens in the app, too.
That helps with “The train is on time”
Give them all iPads and iPhones! They will love it!
I would guess they would like their name/logo on the clock face as is on the real SBB clocks. It’s “free” advertising for them, and probably worth more than any cash settlement. And, it’s the polite thing to do.
AGREED!
Apple crossed a line here. The Maps-Desaster is complete FUD, but this is shameful.
Interesting that you seem more upset about it than the actual owners…
Yes and your spelling capability is a “desaster” too.
lol!
No spell check on android.
It’s nice the SBB people are being civil about it but I don’t need to hear that Apple has not cleared legally anything it uses in it’s apps. (Not worth the grief they get that we have to hear which only gives Fandroids something to shriek about.) This is an extremely common legal procedure (called clearance) in television and motion picture production and of all companies Apple should be extremely sensitive to taking from others without permission at this point, if it isn’t in public domain. Apple should proceed with exemplary corporate behavior in this regard as an example to others with the high standards attributed them.
umm, their Swiss. Neutral. They live and breath non-confrontational studies.
Apple will probably sue them this is apple invention and patent that someone else did , see U in court …..
LOL :D. 😀
Another stupid troll comment!