April 2018. In December 2017, in what was perhaps an unusual move, computer giant Apple re-registered its old coloured logo as a trademark in the US. It had stopped using the coloured version (second on the left) of the famous fruit in 1997, replacing it with an entirely black variant. So why re-register the previous one?

Development of the Apple-logo, from left to right: 1976 – 1977 – 1998 – 2011 – 2014

Clothing

Apple clearly isn’t intending to replace its existing trademark with the former coloured logo; if it had been, it would have registered it for computers, tablets and mobile phones in class 9. The application in fact shows that Apple has only asked to have it re-registered for items of clothing, hats and caps.

Merchandise

So it seems that Apple simply wants to use (or continue using) the old variant for merchandise products, and is making sure these are well protected.

Bas Kist