Apple Licenses Swiss Railway Clock Design for iPad's iOS 6 Clock App

MacRumors · Oct 12, 2012, 08:23 AM

Last month, we noted that the Swiss Federal Railways service was objecting to Apple's use of its iconic clock design for the new iPad clock app in iOS 6.

The Verge now points to a press release [Google translation] from the railway service announcing that a licensing agreement has been reached.

Quote:

For the use of the SBB station clock on devices like iPad and iPhone, the Swiss Federal Railways SBB and Apple have agreed and signed a license agreement.

Apple's iPad clock app (left) and Swiss Federal Railways clock (right)

Terms of the licensing agreement, including payment and term length details, were not disclosed.

Article Link: Apple Licenses Swiss Railway Clock Design for iPad's iOS 6 Clock App

jabingla2810 · Oct 12, 2012, 08:26 AM

Good to see. It's such a cool clock design.

turtlez · Oct 12, 2012, 08:26 AM

Glad they worked it out quickly

GlastoEls · Oct 12, 2012, 08:26 AM

Eminently sensible conclusion!

meatling · Oct 12, 2012, 08:26 AM

F U. pay Me

markfc · Oct 12, 2012, 08:27 AM

Yes, It's about time they sorted this... ;-)

justperry · Oct 12, 2012, 08:27 AM

That's what Apple should have done first place.

Michaelgtrusa · Oct 12, 2012, 08:29 AM

You cannot win them all.

Arran · Oct 12, 2012, 08:29 AM

It's not just the iPad. Try asking Siri "what time is it?" on an iOS6 iPhone.

D.T. · Oct 12, 2012, 08:29 AM

SBB: "We want $20 million for licensing"

Apple: "How about a 20 free iPhone 5s?"

SBB: "20 iPhones?!? Absolutely not!"

Apple: "What if we can guarantee none of them are scratched?"

SBB: "Deal."

jabingla2810 · Oct 12, 2012, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michaelgtrusa

You cannot win them all.

Who didn't win?

azentropy · Oct 12, 2012, 08:31 AM

I still wonder if either Apple didn't know that their clock was so close to the Swiss Railway design or just didn't care??

Technarchy · Oct 12, 2012, 08:31 AM

Waste of money

Gravity · Oct 12, 2012, 08:31 AM

This is a clock-face that I could have designed. It's so basic and derivative. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple's designer came up with it on his/her own coincidentally. But yeah, it would look like a total ripoff if it weren't so generic. I would have rejected this design.

macnchiefs · Oct 12, 2012, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlastoEls

Eminently sensible conclusion!

Sensible yes after this Swiss company had to call them out.

It would have been nice for Apple to license it properly in the first place and actually follow what they were preaching themselves in the Samsung trial.

nfl46 · Oct 12, 2012, 08:31 AM

Thankfully they avoided another lawsuit over this.

QCassidy352 · Oct 12, 2012, 08:32 AM

Thank God. I can finally stop losing sleep over this.

japanime · Oct 12, 2012, 08:32 AM

It's a fantastic design. Happy to see they worked out an agreement, and credit is given where it's due.

ArdBuijsen · Oct 12, 2012, 08:32 AM

[fandroid mode on] I really don'r see what the problem is. It is quit clear that there is no other way you can design a clock [/fandroid mode off]

Devie · Oct 12, 2012, 08:33 AM

Its just a basic clock? I dont get it.

Probably one of the designers was just making the graphics and just popped into their head one day, maybe they walked past it and it was just in the back of their memory.

Other than that, good to see some fair play.

Breaking Good · Oct 12, 2012, 08:33 AM

OK. I realize that this is just my personal opinion, but I think the clock is ugly as sin.

The Swiss railway authority should be embarrassed to about their clock.

The Swiss Railway Authority should be paying Apple a hefty sum for using such an ugly icon.

Now, I must admit that I have no use for a clock with no numbers on it. When I buy a new watch which I do about every four or five years, it must have arabic numerals on it. Not hash marks, not Roman Numerals, but Arabic numerals. I want to be able to look at my watch, or clock, and know what time it is. I do not want to have to sit there and count hash marks to figure out what time it is.

Of course, your mileage may vary. If you like the clock, then I am happy for you and I hope you live a long and happy life.

jabingla2810 · Oct 12, 2012, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Devie

Its just a basic clock? I dont get it.

Probably one of the designers was just making the graphics and just popped into their head one day, maybe they walked past it and it was just in the back of their memory.

Other than that, good to see some fair play.

It's design seems so obvious only in hindsight.

This is one beautiful clock face.

ArdBuijsen · Oct 12, 2012, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Breaking Good

OK. I realize that this is just my personal opinion, but I think the clock is ugly as sin.

The Swiss railway authority should be embarrassed to about their clock.

The Swiss Railway Authority should be paying Apple a hefty sum for using such an ugly icon.

Now, I must admit that I have no use for a clock with no numbers on it. When I buy a new watch which I do about every four or five years, it must have arabic numerals on it. Not hash marks, not Roman Numerals, but Arabic numerals. I want to be able to look at my watch, or clock, and know what time it is. I do not want to have to sit there and count hash marks to figure out what time it is.

Of course, your mileage may vary. If you like the clock, then I am happy for you and I hope you live a long and happy life.

I think it is actually a gorgeous looking clock. It is I think a design classic. Of course Apple knew. They just tried to do it without coughing up. Silly.

Adam- · Oct 12, 2012, 08:35 AM

I suppose its probably quite hard to check the worldwide designs for a clock, seeing as they have around 6 variables to contend with.

Northgrove · Oct 12, 2012, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azentropy

I still wonder if either Apple didn't know that their clock was so close to the Swiss Railway design or just didn't care??

I have a feeling a designer used their clock as inspiration and that it somehow flew under the radar of executives there. It doesn't really make sense to intentionally take a risk of looking bad for a licensing fee that is probably miniscule in the grand scheme of things. That risk and media attention seems like a much higher price to pay.

Oct 12, 2012, 08:26 AM	#2
jabingla2810 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Oct 2008	Good to see. It's such a cool clock design. __________________ 2.4 Alu Macbook 2GB 250GB
	36

Oct 12, 2012, 08:26 AM	#3
turtlez Banned Join Date: Jun 2012	Glad they worked it out quickly
	11

Oct 12, 2012, 08:26 AM	#5
meatling macrumors newbie Join Date: Feb 2011	F U Pay Me F U. pay Me __________________ 27" iMac, 16gb 3G iPad2 AT&T, 32gb ipad2 3G Verizon, iPhone 4 AT&T, 1tb time capsule, 2 ATV 1, 2 ATV 2, 8 airport expresses and a base station
	9

Oct 12, 2012, 08:27 AM	#7
justperry macrumors 603 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: 7 Km South of an active upside down volcano.	That's what Apple should have done first place.
	55

Oct 12, 2012, 08:29 AM	#8
Michaelgtrusa macrumors 68040 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Everywhere And Nowhere	You cannot win them all. __________________ iMACAll life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. TWITTER TUMBLR
	1

Oct 12, 2012, 08:26 AM	#4
GlastoEls macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: New York	Eminently sensible conclusion!
	7

Oct 12, 2012, 08:27 AM	#6
markfc macrumors 6502a Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Prestatyn, Wales, UK	Yes, It's about time they sorted this... ;-)
	4

Oct 12, 2012, 08:29 AM	#9
Arran macrumors 65816 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Atlanta, USA	It's not just the iPad. Try asking Siri "what time is it?" on an iOS6 iPhone. __________________ When the world zigs, zag.
	2

Oct 12, 2012, 08:29 AM	#10
D.T. macrumors 68000 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Vilano Beach, FL	SBB: "We want $20 million for licensing" Apple: "How about a 20 free iPhone 5s?" SBB: "20 iPhones?!? Absolutely not!" Apple: "What if we can guarantee none of them are scratched?" SBB: "Deal."
	51

Oct 12, 2012, 08:31 AM	#12
azentropy macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Surprise	I still wonder if either Apple didn't know that their clock was so close to the Swiss Railway design or just didn't care??
	6

Oct 12, 2012, 08:31 AM	#13
Technarchy macrumors 68020 Join Date: May 2012	Waste of money
	11

Oct 12, 2012, 08:31 AM	#14
Gravity macrumors regular Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Chicago	Not so iconic, imho This is a clock-face that I could have designed. It's so basic and derivative. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple's designer came up with it on his/her own coincidentally. But yeah, it would look like a total ripoff if it weren't so generic. I would have rejected this design. __________________ I never met a mac I didn't like.
	8

Oct 12, 2012, 08:31 AM	#16
nfl46 macrumors 68040 Join Date: Oct 2008	Thankfully they avoided another lawsuit over this. __________________ \| 16GB Apple iPhone 5 \| 13" Macbook Pro \| Apple TV 2 \| 16GB Apple iPad Mini \| 8GB LG Google Nexus 4 \|
	0

Oct 12, 2012, 08:32 AM	#17
QCassidy352 macrumors G3 Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Boston, MA	Thank God. I can finally stop losing sleep over this.
	32

Oct 12, 2012, 08:32 AM	#18
japanime macrumors 6502a Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Japan	It's a fantastic design. Happy to see they worked out an agreement, and credit is given where it's due. __________________ Put Manga University in your pocket — get our free iPhone app!
	10

Oct 12, 2012, 08:32 AM	#19
ArdBuijsen macrumors newbie Join Date: Aug 2011	[fandroid mode on] I really don'r see what the problem is. It is quit clear that there is no other way you can design a clock [/fandroid mode off]
	17

Oct 12, 2012, 08:33 AM	#20
Devie macrumors 6502 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Adelaide, Australia	Its just a basic clock? I dont get it. Probably one of the designers was just making the graphics and just popped into their head one day, maybe they walked past it and it was just in the back of their memory. Other than that, good to see some fair play. __________________ iMac 27" i7 '10 MacBook Pro 15" C2D '07 iPhone 5, iPhone 4 (work) 16GB iPad 2 16GB White 32GB iPad Ret (work)
	3

Oct 12, 2012, 08:33 AM	#21
Breaking Good macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Sep 2012	OK. I realize that this is just my personal opinion, but I think the clock is ugly as sin. The Swiss railway authority should be embarrassed to about their clock. The Swiss Railway Authority should be paying Apple a hefty sum for using such an ugly icon. Now, I must admit that I have no use for a clock with no numbers on it. When I buy a new watch which I do about every four or five years, it must have arabic numerals on it. Not hash marks, not Roman Numerals, but Arabic numerals. I want to be able to look at my watch, or clock, and know what time it is. I do not want to have to sit there and count hash marks to figure out what time it is. Of course, your mileage may vary. If you like the clock, then I am happy for you and I hope you live a long and happy life.
	4

Oct 12, 2012, 08:35 AM	#24
Adam- macrumors member Join Date: Mar 2011	I suppose its probably quite hard to check the worldwide designs for a clock, seeing as they have around 6 variables to contend with.
	2

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode