Apple Reportedly Paid $21 Million for Rights to Swiss Railways Clock Design

[MacRumors]

Back in September, the Swiss Federal Railways accused Apple of copying its iconic clock design for the new Clock app for iPad included as part of iOS 6. Several weeks later, the agency announced that the dispute had been settled with Apple signing a licensing agreement for the design, although terms of the agreement were not announced.

Tages-Anzeiger now reports [Google translation] that the licensing agreement resulted in Apple making a payment of approximately 20 million Swiss francs ($21 million) to the agency. The report indicates that amount has been leaked by several sources, but the Swiss Federal Railways and Apple have refused to comment on the situation.

The report also suggests that the licensing agreement may not provide any compensation to watchmaker Mondaine, which has been the sole consumer-focused licensee of the design. Mondaine is reportedly happy that Apple has provided increased visibility for the clock design, but remains in discussions with the Swiss Federal Railways over the issue in order to ensure that it is resolved to the satisfaction of all parties involved.

Article Link: Apple Reportedly Paid $21 Million for Rights to Swiss Railways Clock Design

[joelvega125]

just 21 mil huh? Yikes...

[Astroexe]

I mean it's nice but... was paying 20mill cheaper than loosing an argument?

[crypticlineage]

Wow, thats incredible!

Remember that the consumer will be the one picking up the tab at the end.

[TomD1]

This is fair.

[Frign]

Who knows how much Apple would've liked it to put a statement for the Swiss Federal Railways on their main page on apple.ch.

[miniroll32]

That's one expensive clock... Can it make a drink?

[HarryKeogh]

So essentially they paid 21 million bucks for the styling of that second hand.

[Macist]

Wait... that clock design is a copyrighted 'design'? It looks like the most generic interpretation of the 'clock concept' I've ever seen.

[thelonelylimo]

time is money.

[neiltc13]

Or you could look at it another way - 21 million that could have been spent upgrading Mac Pro or fixing Final Cut Pro X, but they chose to spend it on a fancy clock instead.

[MacBookPro13"]

World's most expensive clock?

[jayducharme]

I wonder if that was yet another thing that led to Forstall's departure.

[Radio]

Wow seriously I'd be okay with a 6.0.2 update with the old clock

Apple just has money to burn

[tekno]

Glad Apple didn't get away with stealing a trademark. If they're going to go after other companies that borrow from them, they need to pay-up to other companies.

But, with retrospect, I bet they'd rather have just got one of their overpaid designers to spend half an hour drawing a generic clock icon rather than spending $21m.

[realeric]

No.

[mac1984user]

A friend of mine has the Mondaine wrist watch and I really enjoy the design, but it's completely superfluous in a UI setting. It seems ridiculous to me (if true), that Apple is willing to part with $21 million for a clock design and then boasts about its contribution to hurricane relief efforts. That kind of money might as well go to a suitable cause...I'm content with a 'generic'-looking clock, but that's just my two cents (or seconds, as the case may be).

[wordoflife]

If you want to have a good time, you have to have a good watch

[SandboxGeneral]

Wow. I would have just changed the clock design in an iOS update and called it good.

[madrag]

Wasted money, when there is no new Mac Pro or the "released" iMac doesn't even have a proper HD (unless you go for the fusion drive).

Would be better spent on developing better hardware and software.

This shows the arrongance of today's Apple, "we want it we buy it" (in this case was more "we have to pay for it, we pay").

[Marcus-k]

Originally Posted by Macist

Wait... that clock design is a copyrighted 'design'? It looks like the most generic interpretation of the 'clock concept' I've ever seen.

Really? Then show me a clock that looked atleast somewhat close to this design that was made before this was invented.

[macnerd93]

20 million dollars would be pocket change to a company like Apple. Seems both parties are happy. Mondaine and the Swiss railway are happy of the money as well as the publicity of the design.

[Mike MA]

Again a useless and this time very expensive use of skeuomorphism...Apple will need to sell some iPads to refinance that Forstall decision....

[Cali Fornia]

Honestly, I like the clock design pretty much. Though, it's questionable to pay more than 20M for a simple design, when Apple could have easily come up with a decent alteration which would not infringe any patents but look nice as well. I mean, it's not as if they had no good designer's who could take a look at it *cough* Ivy *cough*.
At least, I hope they make this the basic clock skin on all of their iDevices.

[camnchar]

Originally Posted by madrag

Wasted money, when there is no new Mac Pro or the "released" iMac doesn't even have a proper HD (unless you go for the fusion drive).

Would be better spent on developing better hardware and software.

Yes, because that was the only money Apple had in the bank. Next we'll see Tim Cook and Jony Ive wearing nothing but stylish, aluminum unibody barrels and begging for money on a Cupertino street corner.