“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.”
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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.