Swiss Clock Maker Agrees With Apple On Clockface License Agreement

For a company that knows how to dish out the lawsuits, it's pretty funny to think what would happen if the tables were turned. Of course, it doesn't look like it's coming to come to that in this particular case. Shortly after iOS 6 hit the iPad, Swiss Federal Railways recognized that the clock icon in the new Clock app looked a lot like a clock that it has a patent on. Too alike. So much alike, that it quickly sought out Apple and informed it that it best pony up. Now, it looks as if the two companies have reached an agreement on the use of SBB's station clock on certain devices such as iPads and iPhones. This arrangement has been mutually agreed by both parties in a license agreement.


For the use of the clockface on certain Apple devices such as iPads and iPhones, the parties have negotiated an arrangement that enables Apple to use the SBB station clock under a license agreement. The parties have agreed that the amount of the licensing fee and any further details of the licensing arrangement will remain confidential. Something tells us Apple didn't get out of this one too cheaply, but hey -- fair's fair.