Things got a little strange in the copyright world a few weeks ago when Apple sued a grocery store. They claimed that the store was using its iconic logo to trick people into buying groceries instead of iPhones. It was strange and ridiculous. Now, Apple is being targeted for a similarly ridiculous copyright claim.
The Swiss Federal Railways has a very iconic clock. You’ve probably seen it film or pictures. If not, here it is:
Now, Apple has a new clock design in iOS 6 for iPad.
Does anything look familiar? It would seem that the resemblance has not been lost on the owners of the copyright, the Swiss Federal Railways service. They apparently don’t appreciate the resemblance and are weighing their options. According to an article from Tages-Anzeiger, and translated by MacRumors, the Swiss Federal Railways had this to say:
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.
I may not like Apple’s strong arm legal tactics, but there are limits to how stupid lawsuits can go. Did Apple steal the clock design of the Swiss Federal Railways? Most likely. Is it stupid? Yes, it is. Either way, Apple should change the design and just move on. They have bigger problems to contend with at the moment.