Patents for Apple Watch Sport, Classic Buckle, and Link Bracelet Bands Awarded to Apple

Patents for Apple Watch Sport, Classic Buckle, and Link Bracelet Bands Awarded to Apple

The two Sport Bands that come included with the Apple Watch Sport.

Apple made some incredible innovations when it came to the Watch, but this extends to the bands as well. As the first batch of Watches get shipped out later this week, the United States Patent & Trademark Office has granted Apple for three patents for three popular Apple Watch band models, the Sport Band, Classic Buckle, and Link Bracelet. Oddly enough, the bands descriptions are fairly vague. All three bands are titled "Band" and cover "the ornamental design for a band". These patents come exactly one month after the USPTO granted a patent for the Modern Buckle to Apple. The patent illustrations for the Link Bracelet show the band with magnetic pegs and a spring-loaded butterfly clasp. The band is made out of stainless steel and is made with over one hundred different parts. The patent also covers the spacer links that have individual release buttons that allow Watch wearers to easily adjust their Link Bracelets. Gold custom-made link bracelets have also been spotted in the wild by celebrities such as Beyoncé and Karl Lagerfeld.

Apple Takes Ericsson to Court Over High LTE Patent Royalties

Apple Takes Ericsson to Court Over High LTE Patent Royalties

Patent royalties play a huge role in the mobile industry and it like every mobile manufacturer has their own set of ridiculous patents. Today, Apple is taking Ericsson to court over it\'s LTE patents. Reuters reports that the iPhone maker is suing Ericsson, claiming they shouldn\'t be paying for the Swedish firms patents. If Tim Cook and company wins they should be cleared of any royalty costs. Though, it looks like the company is aiming towards changing the structure for the patent. Apple argues that they should be paying based on the value of the specific chips using Ericsson\'s technology, not based on number of devices sold. “We’ve always been willing to pay a fair price to secure the rights to standards essential patents covering technology in our products,” Apple told Reuters. ”Unfortunately, we have not been able to agree with Ericsson on a fair rate for their patents so, as a last resort, we are asking the courts for help.” The two companies had an agreement around the time of the initial iPhone launch. Now, eight years later, Apple may have the leverage it has to secure a better deal.