Apple carefully protects designs of stores

The design of an Apple store is something to behold. With its transparent glass walls, minimalist wooden tables and, in some cases, glass spiral staircases, there is nothing else quite like it in the tech world. No wonder company executives talk about "the environment we inhabit" when they discuss their stores. 

And there won't be, because it's all part of Apple's intellectual property.

That's right—the look of each Apple store is trademarked and has been since January, according to a Reuters article. Descriptions include that of "a clear glass storefront surrounded by a paneled facade" and an "oblong table with stools … set below video screens flush mounted on the back wall."

The purpose of this trademark is to take a stand against fake Apple stores opening up around the world, especially in China, where one replica was so good that it fooled a number of customers. Reuters reported at the time that many salespeople believed they were working for Apple.

And that's not all the company is doing. In Apple's official Shanghai store, the company has won a patent for its large spiral glass staircase. This is not the first time Apple has taken this action, either. In 2003, it patented glass staircases in the U.S., naming the late co-founder Steve Jobs as one of the inventors.

Apple's designs are known all over the world, and many competitors have tried to make use of them. Companies like Apple need the expertise of a Phoenix business attorney to defend their designs from those who might steal them.

Categorised in: International Business Law

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