Apple’s Latest Legal Drama May Affect Future iOS Apps

Apple’s legal team has had a busy few weeks across the globe — and the latest action could mean changes to basic things, like how we download apps, or how we message our friends, or what a future iPhone could look like. There could even be changes to how Apple can own the rights to the image of, well, the actual fruit. 

In this week’s episode of One More Thing, embedded above, we give you an overview of what’s going to keep Apple’s lawyers busy between the summer barbecues — this Fourth of July holiday week being no exception. On Monday, Apple submitted a court filing saying it will ask the US Supreme Court to undo the App Store order from the Epic Games antitrust case back in 2021, as reported by Reuters. 

Meanwhile, Apple also has to figure out if iMessage or the App Store needs to change — because the company is reported to fall under the “gatekeeper” label criteria of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act — which has some tougher rules about playing nice with other rival apps.

Patent lawyers also get no rest. As reported by Patently Apple, the US Patent and Trademark Office published a series of 56 newly granted patents for Apple, including one that is for textured glass. 

And if you like legal dramas, you’ll want to check out a recent story from Wired about Apple’s unusual trademark battle in Switzerland. The report says Apple is fighting for the intellectual property rights to a black and white image of an ordinary apple — as in, the actual fruit, not the bitten Apple logo emblazoned on millions of devices. It’s got some Swiss fruit farmers a bit concerned.