Apple's upcoming wearable technology called the Apple Watch has hit a snag in its roll out across Europe according to GSM Arena on Sunday. Apple is allegedly facing a intellectual property issue which is likely to push the release of the much flaunted watch back by months according to radio and television broadcaster RTS. This means that the brand cannot be used and in promotional material as long as the 1985 patent holds.
The document belongs to William Longe, owner of the Leonard watch brand. Apparently his company currently holds the rights to market a watch bearing the name or model "apple", which is clearly a setback, for the American company. As luck has it, though, the patent expires on December 5 this year.
The company could, potentially, take legal actions and attempt to find a way out for the wearable, but this is surely a lengthy process and could very well stretch beyond December of this year. Another option is to work around the issue and not use the word "apple" for the device in Switzerland at all. While this is somewhat plausible and could be pulled off, it seems quite unlikely and too much of a hustle. The sad truth, for Swiss Apple fan's at least, is that the patent saga might postpone the Apple Watch launch by a few months. Other markets are expected to release the smartwatch on schedule without delays. The Middle East market mainly consisting of flagship stores in the United Arab Emirates are expecting to get the watch by the late April period.
Iran due to current economic sanctions will be receiving the item in the days following through grey importers.
