“Apple is not able to launch its new smartwatch in Switzerland until at least the end of this year because of an intellectual property rights issue, Swiss broadcaster RTS reported on its website,” Joshua Franklin reports for Reuters.
“The U.S. tech giant cannot use the image of an apple nor the word “apple” to launch its watch within Switzerland, the home of luxury watches, because of a patent from 1985, RTS reported, citing a document from the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property,” Franklin reports. “The patent is set to finish on Dec. 5 of this year. It currently belongs to William Longe, who owns watch brand Leonard that first filed the patent.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We cannot imagine a less effective, or more desperate, attempt to delay to inevitable.
In the two weeks prior to launch, Apple will log more Apple Watch pre-orders than Switzerland has in total available watch buyers.
It’s not an issue at all. The number of Swiss residents expecting to buy an Apple Watch is probably rather low. Swiss watches are primarily exported to other countries.
Apple was not going to release it’s watch in Switzerland initially anyway, so a delay of a few months, when the Apple Watch is likely to be in short supply anyway will not create any problems for Apple. Any Swiss who desperately want an Apple Watch this year could easily travel to France, Germany, Austria or Italy – or possibly even Lichtenstein if there are any Apple stores there.
I can’t think if a better way to win over Switzerland than scarcity. If it was available at the end of April everyone would be badmouthing it. This way they won’t be able to resist lusting after what the rest of the world has. A grey market will form and by the end of the year there will be so much pent-up demand they’ll have forgotten there was supposed to be a national hate for the Apple Watch.
You are so right. Great insight!
Every Swiss citizen who will want an Apple Watch will cross the border either to Germany or France to get one anyway, since they will be much cheaper in those two countries than in Switzerland. Since the Swiss government decoupled the Franc from the Euro, goods in Switzerland are even more expensive compared to neighboring countries like Germany, France and Austria, causing many Swiss to travel to these countries just to shop. I wouldn’t be surprised to see hoards of Swiss consumers lining up at Apple stores in these countries to get the watch.
Longe only has a few days to make a deal, or get nothing.
Does the iPod, iMac, iPhone or iPad sell in Switzerland? Are there not three Apple Stores in Switzerland?
I don’t understand the down votes on this one. They definitely didn’t get your point.
All these products you mentioned have apple logo on it.
If they can’t mention Apple or use any apple logo in that country,
Does that mean there’s no iPads , iPhones, iPods and iMacs sale?
up there?
The trademark issue probably applies only to watches. 😀
Exactly though I don’t see how a long established company logo can’t be used, as it already is and thus at what point in relation to the watch directly it actually can’t, ie on the watch itself, on packaging, verbally, the title, a conundrum indeed that the authorities are certainly intent on exploiting it seems.
William Tell, Swiss hero. You know; marksman. Split an APPLE perched on his son’s head.
Someone’s registered the trademark of a Swiss hero’s APPLE being shown on a Swiss-made WATCH. They have exclusive use of the APPLE and WATCH combination, till their exclusivity runs out.
Okey Dokey, I won’t buy anything made in Switzerland until 2016. Of course I can’t think of anything I want from Switzerland.
Swiss cheese ?? Lol
Swiss cheese is to Switzerland as chow mein is to China.
Jarlsberg instead! An excellent compromise.
Swiss cheese, perhaps? 😉
Replied at the same time, lol!
Chocolate treats?
Switzerland isn’t on the list for release until 2017 anyway. This report seems very prissy, i.e. “So there too, Apple!”, stamps foot.
It’s not a patent issue, it’s a trademark issue.
“You know what the fellow said – in Italy, for thirty years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, they had five hundred years of democracy and peace – and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock!” — Harry Lime, The Third Man.
That fits my Angst Theory of creativity. Then again, Harry Lime? That rat! 😉
THIS JUST IN:
It has been discovered that 17th-century Swiss inventor Friedrich Intergére holds a valid 500-year patent for the numerals 1 through 12, in both their Roman and Arabic forms.
It’s a trademark issue, not a patent issue. I would expect “intelligent” people that post on MDN to at least know the difference.
@Russell – who gives a shit if you wont buy anything made in Switzerland until 2016 – certainly not Switzerland.
Link to registered Trademark on the Swissreg website: https://www.swissreg.ch/srclient/faces/jsp/trademark/sr300.jsp?language=en§ion=tm&id=P-343807