When a company like Apple is getting sued every other week, there’s no telling what they will and won’t try to patent and trademark in an attempt to protect their intellectual property. Apple already holds a patent on rectangles with rounded corners, and their latest trademark gives Apple exclusive use of the word “Retina.”
On December 4, 2012, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted Apple two Registered Trademarks. One trademark covers the word “Retina” while the second trademark covers Apple’s Game Center icon.
Since the introduction of the iPhone 4, Apple has used the word “Retina” to describe their pixel-dense displays that are so crisp the human retina can not discern individual pixels. Apple updated the iPad and MacBook Pro line with Retina displays in 2012 and some expect the iMac and iPad mini will get Retina displays in 2013, or 2014 at the latest.
Apple’s trademark on Retina only covers computer displays, including handhelds, notepad computers and displays used in telephone computers, so optometrists and ophthalmologists can rest assured that they can still use “Retina” however they want. The trademark was originally filed in May 2011.
The trademark for the Game Center icon was filed in June 2012 and covers basics like computer software for use in developing and accessing games, and for scoring and tracking performance, as well as for entertainment services and social networking.
Source: Patently Apple
