Apple's Trademark for 'There's an App For That' Approved

As noted by TUAW, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is moving to approve a registered trademark for Apple's much-used advertising tagline for the iPhone and App Store: "There's an app for that."

Apple initially filed for the trademark in four separate classes in December 2009, and was granted initial allowance for the mark in May of this year, although the company was still required to provide evidence of its use in commerce for the registration to become finalized. In August, Apple moved to divide the trademark application into two separate applications of two classes each, and also filed the required "Statement of Use" evidence that it was using the trademark in commerce for one of those divided applications.

Late last week, the USPTO granted Apple's request to divide the application and by Friday the government attorney in charge of Apple's application had signed off on the Statement of Use and authorized the trademark for final registration in the following classes:

035: Retail store services featuring computer software provided via the Internet and other computer and electronic communication networks; retail store services featuring computer software for use on handheld mobile digital electronic devices and other consumer electronics

042: Maintenance and updating of computer software; providing information concerning computer software via the Internet and other computer and electronic communication networks; providing search engines for obtaining data via communications networks; providing temporary use of computer software and online facilities to enable users to access and download computer software; providing online non-downloadable computer software that generates customized recommendations of software applications based on user preferences

While Apple has used the tagline extensively in its own advertising, the slogan has also been mimicked and parodied by a significant number of outlets, perhaps most notably by Verizon in its "There's a Map For That" ad campaign targeting AT&T's 3G network coverage.