While Apple has yet to confirm introduction of its smart-watches known as iWatch later this year, it looks like the preparations for the announcement are in full swing. Recently the company extended usage of its own trademark to include products like “jewellery, clocks and watches”.
International trademarks are split into 45 different classes to organize the types of goods and services being registered for protection and avoid conflicts of interests between different companies who carry the same or similar names. Watches and other jewellery are part of class 14, which is dedicated to precious metals/stones as well as products made from those materials. MacRumours reports that while some of the products carrying “Apple” trademark were included into class 14, recently the company broadened the list of product types it sells with a long list of class 14 goods, including the following:
“jewelry; watches; watches; goods in precious metals or coated therewith; cufflinks or cufflinks; keychains; timers; brooches in precious metals or coated therewith; ornaments in precious metals or coated therewith; tie pins in precious metals or coated therewith; tie clips or tie clips of precious metal or coated therewith; badges of precious metal or coated therewith; bracelets of precious metal or coated therewith; Necklaces in precious metals or coated therewith; medals in precious metals or coated therewith; short chains and ornaments in precious metals or coated therewith; buttons in precious metals or coated therewith; clip in precious metals or coated therewith; boxes of precious metal or coated therewith; decorations in precious metals or coated therewith; jewelry; sculptures and precious metals products.”
Apple iWatch concept by Jivaldi.com
So far the company has expanded the list of goods categorized as class 14 in multiple countries, including Ecuador, Mexico, Norway and the United Kingdom. It is believed that the expansions are made before the launch of the long-awaited iWatch, which is supposed to exist in multiple versions, including luxury ones made of precious metals and fine materials. It should also be noted that last summer the firm did register the iWatch trademark in several countries.
Apple still has a lot of preparations to make for the iWatch launch. Typically the company keeps such preparations secret in the U.S. so that not to reveal any hints about launch schedules and retail plans.
Last year Apple hired a number of professionals from the fashion industry, who are believed to be involved into the iWatch project.
Apple did not comment on the news-story.
Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru Says: Apple has traditionally tried to keep its product lineup as simple as possible. The company’s family of notebooks includes only three base models, the line of desktops includes four base versions and the line of smartphones is limited to three base handsets. With watches, Apple reportedly plans to have two base models with loads of customised versions made of precious metals and with fine bracelets. Essentially, if the rumours are correct, Apple is going to have a broad family of watches to choose from, which is exactly why it adds jewellery to the list of products it makes. Looks like with the iWatch Apple plans to change its own traditions of keeping product lineups simple…