The US Patent and Trademark Office has approved Apple's request to trademark the design and layout of its iconic retail stores — stores that other US companies have tried in recent years to imitate. The patent office rejected Apple's request twice, but the company's submission of additional drawings and store photos appears to have reversed the office's earlier decisions. It's important to note that trademarks aren't like patents; the standard for trade dress infringement is the "likelihood of confusion" of what the source of a trademarked item is. In other words, if a company designs a store that consumers confuse for an Apple store, they could be liable for trade dress infringement.
The trademark covers Apple's use of a "paneled...
via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/29/3930156/apple-trademarks-its-retail-store-design
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