Apple has reportedly moved to protect its brand in the jewellery and watch market, fuelling speculation that the rumoured iWatch will be released later this year.
According to MacRumours, Apple is “broadening and cleaning up” its application in trademark Class 14, which, according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, covers “mainly precious metals, goods in precious metals not included in other classes and, in general, jewellery, clocks and watches”.
This is one of 45 trademark classes relating to different product categories that are adhered to worldwide.
This is one of 45 trademark classes relating to different product categories that are adhered to worldwide.
In late December 2013, Apple reportedly filed a new “Apple” trademark application in Ecuador to add protection in Class 14 for a number of product types including jewellery and watches. Numerous other applications followed, including a Class 14-focused application filed in Mexico in early January this year, and a larger application filed in Norway in mid-February 2014 to increase protection over seven different classes, including Class 14.
Then in March, Apple also filed an application in the United Kingdom for Class 14 for the first time as part of a wider application to increase protection across a total of 12 classes.
Despite this, the company has yet to protect itself within its home country, the United States, and is still not covered under Class 14 in many of the other countries in which it operates.
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