The headlines on this case from various newspapers is telling:
//Apple to use Swiss railway clock design
ITWeb - 7 hours ago
//Apple licenses Swiss railway operator's clocks design for use in iPads, iPhones
Computer Business Review - 19 minutes ago
//Apple signs deal with Swiss railway to settle clock dispute
ITProPortal - 5 hours ago
//Apple signs SBB railway clock license agreement
WatchPro.com - 3 hours ago
//Apple stole Swiss Clock
TechEye - 7 hours ago
//Apple Licenses Swiss Railway Clock Design For iPad And iOS 6
Geeky gadgets - 3 hours ago
All the above but 1 headline is MISLEADING. Apple clearly copied the Swiss railway design and used it in OS6 with the hope that noone would raise any questions. Upon SBB's complaint, Apple quickly settled this out of court.
This is no different from a petty thief stealing apples from a grocer, and upon getting caught, pays up. The intention is clear from the 'biggest company in the world' - OUTRIGHT THEFT.
Apple pays to silence Swiss railway after stealing its trademarked station clock
IOS 6 CLOCK APP
OCTOBER 13, 2012
BY: KEMPTON LAM
Apple pays to silence Swiss railway after stealing its trademarked station clock
Credits:
screen capture & composite by Kempton Lam
After Swiss railway operator SBB politely and openly complained three weeks ago that the face of the clock app in iOS 6 was copied (read, stolen) from an iconic and trademarked design created in the 1940s by SBB engineer and designer Hans Hilfiker, yesterday Fortune reported Apple has finally paid up and a settlement has been reached.
"For the use of the clockface on certain Apple devices such as iPads and iPhones, the parties have negotiated an arrangement that enables Apple to use the SBB station clock under a licence agreement," SBB said in a statement. "The parties have agreed that the amount of the licensing fee and any further details of the licensing arrangement will remain confidential."
As part of the settlement, the you-shut-up-now clause has been inserted, namely "any further details of the licensing arrangement will remain confidential". So nothing more will be said by SBB and definitely not Apple.
It has not lost on this reporter and many reporters that Apple is fighting a war against Samsung (and lets be honest, it is really Google that Apple is fighting), while it is stealing others' iconic design so blatantly.
Once upon a time a young creative man said "Good artists copy, great artists steal." That man contributed much to the computing world and was admired by many. Unfortunately, he grew old and dominated the world near the end of his life and decided to flex his muscle to sue his competitors back to the stone age. He name was Steve Jobs.
P.S. Latest news re Apple v. Samsung lawsuit:
eWeek, Oct 13, 2012, "Samsung Wins Reprieve vs. Apple for U.S. Galaxy Nexus Smartphone Sales"
Computer World, Oct 12, 2012, "Apple v Samsung: Judge Koh said to have ''abused discretion''"
