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

Sunday November 11, 2012 9:40 am PST by Eric Slivka

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.

Top Rated Comments

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thelonelylimo

8 months ago

time is money.

Rating: 54 Positives

neiltc13

8 months ago

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.

Rating: 31 Positives

tekno

8 months ago

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.

Rating: 30 Positives

antic

8 months ago

Puts things into perspective.
Sandy relief 2.5 million $
Clock face. 21 million $

Rating: 26 Positives

HarryKeogh

8 months ago

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

Rating: 25 Positives

jayducharme

8 months ago

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

Rating: 24 Positives

mac1984user

8 months ago

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).

Rating: 19 Positives

admanimal

8 months ago

So Apple paid 21 Million for a flippin' clock and only paid 2.5 million to help Hurricane Sandy victims?

What a load of BS...shows how much Apple cares.

Oh please, what a stupid statement. I hope you have donated every cent you earn that doesn't go directly to something that you absolutely cannot live without.

I suppose Apple should also buy a house for every homeless person in the country. They can technically afford it, so why don't they?

Rating: 18 Positives

Tucom

8 months ago

So Apple paid 21 Million for a flippin' clock and only paid 2.5 million to help Hurricane Sandy victims?

What a load of BS...shows how much Apple cares.

Rating: 18 Positives

camnchar

8 months ago

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.

Rating: 16 Positives

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