This is not a paten or copyright - it is a trademark.
There is a substantial difference.
A trademark simply menas you cannot use the protected logi, phrase, etc. in trade/commerce of a like nature. You saw the article discussed splittinginto two categpries. This just says that no other computer maker can use the phrase there is an app for that in the contest of computing utility functions.
It is not banned from use in other means or even other business functions if it is proved to be wholly different.
Copyright is for works - like writing, music, photos, etc. It is a bit fuzzy about software, software is a work of code, but what is protected- the code to do say copy and paste or the end result of copy and paste. A patent covers an invention or device. It can also cover a software application.
Why this all gets confused is that when these laws were written the world of software, apps and GUI did not exist. So how do you legitimately protect intellectual property and trade secret info like gestures, compression algorothms, GU Interfaces? Is it a patent for the function? Or a copyright on the code? What is someone writes new code that does the same thing? i.e. Windows vs. Mac. Same concept/idea, different code.
As a non lawyer I would love to bolame them all for this mess, but the whole system needs an update for the current techniques and technologies.
Afterall, if I say something witty of Twitter or Facebook who owns it/ Me, Facebook? public domain?
still you can't freaking copyright 7 consequent words! jesus christ that stupid patent approvers have no clue what they should do. RELAX WITH COPYRighting!! If i wanna say in my ad or movie or ANYTHING "there's an app for that", what are they gonna do? arrest me? Do they freaking own the words?
I see the new world order right outside the door of 2011 to 2012 tbh.