Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Sued for App Store Logo's Resemblance to Chinese Clothing Brand Logo

pallymore said:
I don't think Apple purposefully copied KON but I can see KON's points.
Click to expand...

Check it out...the first page of a logo web site section for logos based on the letter 'A'. Notice anything familiar about that Amblin Resources logo? Kon's logo designer might have been doing some historical swiping as well.

http://www.logobook.com/letter/a/

Also, if Apple were looking at historic logos, Saul Bass might have been a better "inspiration" for the updated 'A' design for the App Store. Look at the logo for Avery on page 4 of the same site...

http://www.logobook.com/letter/a/page/4/
 
ScottNWDW said:
Ironic The Chinese have been infringing on the world's trademarks for decades, now their concerned about one of their own. Hmmm
Click to expand...
You are just lumping all Chinese companies together? So in your opinion, this means a legitimate Chinese brand cannot take action against a foreign company which has copied their logo.
 
...and pay compensation for economic loss.​

So probably $0.00? I can't imagine anyone spending money on the App Store because they were confused that it was KON clothing.

And it's such a generic logo I can't imagine the judge siding with KON, but who knows.
 
rippley5150 said:
LMAO

I lived in China off and on for about 15 years.
The best case of Chinese intellectual property rip off I saw was the car company Land Wind. Land Rover / Jaguar took them to court in Beijing and were basically laughed out of court. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple ends up apologizing for hurting the companies feelings lol
Click to expand...

I was living in China from 2009 to 2012, now I travel there regularly but live in Austria.

I remember a co-worker picking me up in some car that looked like a BMW X5 but was the worst kind of rip-off I've ever seen (Shanghuang CEO). I was laughing my ass off all night.

z5409047IE.jpg
 
NokX said:
...and pay compensation for economic loss.​

So probably $0.00? I can't imagine anyone spending money on the App Store because they were confused that it was KON clothing.

And it's such a generic logo I can't imagine the judge siding with KON, but who knows.
Click to expand...
How is it generic? Seems to be specific to me.
 
farmboy said:
It's not open and shut or cut and dry because it's not "effectively" the same logo, unless the letter A from Phoenicians several thousand years ago still has a copyright. Three lines don't matter, the specific design and its claimed commercial use does.

The only thing that matters here is : China. They take Copyright very seriously...as in (To) Copy (is) Right. Just a simple misunderstanding of the language, that's all.
Click to expand...

Is letter A older than apple? I don't think so. This does not stop Apple from suing left and right for infringing their logo.
 
gnipgnop said:
It's not an "equilateral triangle". It's still obviously an 'A' because the overlap distance at the bottom is longer below the crossbar.
Click to expand...

That's a good point. Shows a different mark intent.

Apple simplified an existing design that appeared before the Kon clothing brand existed.
Click to expand...

This is a trademark, not a copyright. What matters most is who is first to use a distinctive mark.

Apple was not using this particular "bare bones" (no pun intended) style before. Kon was.

Apple's previous mark could not be mistaken for Kon's mark. The new one can.
 
Last edited:
vkd said:
"...says the KON brand was inspired by music like the Sex Pistols, with the logo meant to represent three skeleton bones symbolizing power over death. "

I completely fail to see the connection between their symbol and:

1. Sex Pistols
2. Skeleton bones
3. Power over death

If anyone could kindly shed some light of any of these matters
Click to expand...
The fact you don't comprehend the connection is immaterial. There may well be cultural references you are unaware of.
 
gnasher729 said:
And I didn't know Pablo Picasso was Ive's mentor. (That's the great artist who was proud of not copying, but stealing other people's ideas and making them his own, creating something altogether new).
Click to expand...
Did I ever say he was his mentor? You know very well I meant Jobs. Apple is a company built on theft.
 
MacRumors said:



When Apple released the updated App Store as part of iOS 11, the App Store logo got an overhaul. Instead of an "A" made from a pencil, a paintbrush, and a ruler, Apple designed a simpler "A" that looks like it's constructed from popsicle sticks.

As it turns out, Apple's App Store logo bears a resemblance to the logo used by a Chinese clothing brand named KON, and now KON is suing Apple.

appstorekontrademarklawsuit-800x450.jpg

According to Phone Radar (via The Verge), KON believes Apple's new logo is a violation of Chinese copyright law. KON is a brand that's been around since 2009, and as The Verge discovered, Baidu Baike, the Chinese equivalent of Wikipedia, says the KON brand was inspired by music like the Sex Pistols, with the logo meant to represent three skeleton bones symbolizing power over death.

konhat-800x533.jpg

KON wants Apple to publicly apologize for using its logo, stop selling devices using the current App Store logo, and pay compensation for economic loss.

The Beijing People's Court has accepted the case and should make a ruling over the course of the next couple of weeks.

Apple in 2016 lost a similar case involving the "IPHONE" trademark that was in use by Chinese leather goods manufacturer Xintong Tiandi Technology. In that case, Apple was aiming to protect its iPhone trademark to prevent Xintong Tiandi from using the iPhone name for its cases, but the Chinese courts ruled against Apple.

Article Link: Apple Sued for App Store Logo's Resemblance to Chinese Clothing Brand Logo
Click to expand...
China has a copyright law?! Seriously? All they do is copy!
 
  • Like
Reactions: AZ63
Phonephreak said:
Ok. You never defended Apple on this site. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Didn't say i have never defended them on this site. I didn't on this particular topic/article. You see... i'm one of those people that actually likes to judge a story on its merits, and discuss the particular merits of a topic... as opposed to blindly hating on one side. Which is why on some occasions i speak critically of things Apple does, and other times i am supportive. Thats how rational adults should behave in the real world.

Edit: If you actually wish to contribute to the discussion of the story at hand... like actually discuss any of the facts or give your opinion as to any of the facts.. that would be awesome.
 
So another Chinese company suing Apple. It is not surprising. What is slightly annoying is that so many companies in China copy Apple. Yet Apple does absolutely nothing.

Is the cheap labor that important?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Michaelgtrusa
Provided there is no downvote on this web anymore, I will express what I think.

I think the new App Store logo is clearly inspired by this brand of clothes. Sorry, but it is way too similar.
 
yanksfan114 said:
I see hot dogs or breadsticks lol
Click to expand...

It's clearly stack of camp fire logs people, you people get out much? Kidding kidding.. Like... App Store? Build your own fire, spark etc?
The KON one looks like an x stitch pattern or rulers.
 
Naraxus said:
Apple Inc - steal ideas first, settle for a pittance later.

Then again considering Sir Jony Ive ripped off most of his ideas from Dieter Rams this theft isn't surprising.

What was it his mentor once said? Good artists copy, great artists' steal
Click to expand...

Remember when they ripped off the Swiss Mondiane clocks in iOS
 
  • Like
Reactions: pallymore
springsup said:
Apple has been using the logo way longer than that. Check out this screenshot of MacOS 10.0, from 2001 (notice the "Applications" icon):

desktop.jpg


The recent change is a natural evolution of that design. There's no way they should win.

EDIT: And yes, that is Internet Explorer.
Click to expand...


The Chinese market has not been using Apple products long enough for them remember this, hence the lawsuit.
 
KON wants Apple to publicly apologize for using its logo, stop selling devices using the current App Store logo, and pay compensation for economic loss.
Click to expand...

This way has more sense :)

KON wants Apple to pay compensation for economic loss, publicly apologize for using its logo and stop selling devices using the current App Store logo.
Click to expand...
 
gnipgnop said:
Check it out...the first page of a logo web site section for logos based on the letter 'A'. Notice anything familiar about that Amblin Resources logo? Kon's logo designer might have been doing some historical swiping as well.

http://www.logobook.com/letter/a/

Also, if Apple were looking at historic logos, Saul Bass might have been a better "inspiration" for the updated 'A' design for the App Store. Look at the logo for Avery on page 4 of the same site...

http://www.logobook.com/letter/a/page/4/
Click to expand...

To me, they look very different from the KON logo or the App Store logo...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back