Apple Store Design: Apple Store Design Granted a Trademark

Apple Store Design: When you walk into an Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) store you don’t have to think twice about where you are. The unique design and layout sets the company’s store apart from the competition.

In the past, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) did not have a trademark on the unique design of its stores. However, things have changed over the past week.

According to a report by AppleInsider, “The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office last week granted Apple a trademark for the unique design of the company’s brick-and-mortar retail outlets, a process nearly two years in the making.”

As you can see, this is something that the company has been thinking about for quite some time. They obviously realize the importance of ensuring that competitors are unable to copy the design, regardless of their intentions.

Although the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) store trademark was first applied for in May of 2010, it was not until this year that it was awarded.

The same AppleInsider article adds the following:

“First applied for in May of 2010, Apple’s newly minted trademark was awarded on Jan. 22 and covers the Apple Store’s distinctive all-glass storefront and facade, recessed lighting, Genius Bar and rectangular tables, among other design cues.”

The trademark is based primarily on the overall layout and design of the company’s many stores. With a consistent experience that customers have fallen in love with, Apple wanted to make sure it was protected at all costs.

While Microsoft does not have nearly as many brick and mortar stores, those that do exist often times resemble Apple’s.

The trademark itself adds the following detail: