Apple accused of ripping off famous Swiss clock design

The new look of Apple's clock in iOS 6.

(Credit: Josh Lowensohn/CNET)

The new look of Apple's clock app on the iPad that came alongside iOS 6 yesterday is ruffling some feathers abroad.

In a report in Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger (by way of Macrumors), the Swiss Federal Railway service, or SBB, has taken offense to the app's design, to which it says it owns the trademark.

The 1944 design by then-SBB employee Hans Hilfiker (which you can see here) is used in station clocks throughout the railway system, which is well-known for its timeliness.

An SBB spokesman told Tages-Anzeiger that he was pleased Apple was using the design, but noted that the company was not authorized to do so. The report suggests a legal complaint is being drafted as a result.

Apple is no stranger to defending the look and feel of its own designs, including clocks. In 2009, Apple sent a letter of rejection to popular app developer Tapbots -- the makers of Tweetbot... [Read more]