AppleInsider:
Apple is reportedly fighting the logo for a new German bike path, arguing that it bears too much similarity to its own.
The logo for the “Apfelroute” — Apple Route — was registered with the German Patent and Trademark Office in 2018, and is already in use for tourism marketing in the Rhine-Voreifel region, said Westdeutscher Rundfunk. Lawyers for Apple have not only filed an appeal with the GPTO, but sent cease-and-desist letters to Rhine-Voreifel Tourism. Apple’s trademark objections revolve around the Apfelroute’s green leaf and “bitten” side.
I can confidently predict Apple will lose this battle.
Only similarity is the leaf, which is pretty close. But hopefully Apple loses.
I don’t this was “Apple” but rather Apple lawyers going off the range.
This is just plain silly. I mean, I’m assuming that the bike path doesn’t sell software or manufacture telephones—part of trademark law is based on market overlap causing confusion among consumers, too, let alone that the logos barely look similar. This is why Apple Records and Apple Computer didn’t have much of a problem until Apple Computer started selling music!
Maybe apple is going into the electric bike business.
Apple’s obligated to try to protect its trademarks, but there’s no danger of brand confusion here. Apple’s claim just sounds silly.
That’s right, Apple is legally obligated to at least try to protect its trademarks, and that’s the whole story behind this case. If Apple doesn’t at least attempt to stop this company from using a noticeably similar logo, then future courts could interpret that as Apple giving up its trademark entirely. That’s why Disney has to send cease-and-desist letters to little, mom-and-pop day-cares that paint Disney characters on their walls. People think Disney’s mean for doing that, but if they didn’t, they could lose their rights entirely.