Trademark focuses on paired-bubbles Ping icon

Apple today filed for a new trademark for its Ping bubbles symbol. Patently Apple reports that Apple applied for four distinct trademarks related to the paired bubbles, each resembling conversation bubbles from a comic strip, though the Apple bubbles are more stylized. The trademark applications are filed under classes for computer software, online retail services, entertainment and educational services and online social networking services.

Apple also claimed priority on the request as two similar Jamaican applications were made in August 2010. Apple made similar requests in February to protect its Places social network name from a similar Jamaican filing.

The symbol primarily appears in the iTunes sidebar, appearing as the icon for the Ping service under the Store category. The four trademark application numbers are 85249977, 85249986, 85250000 and 85250006.

by MacNN Staff