Apple might have to wait a while before it is able to take on the Swiss watch market on its home turf.
The Apple Watch launch in Switzerland is reportedly being delayed because of a patent owned by watch brand Leonard, which essentially stops Apple from using the word "apple" within the country. The delay, however, would be temporary, with the patent expiring on Dec. 5.
The patent itself was first obtained in 1985 and was recently cited on the RTS website from the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property.
The move will be a little frustrating for Apple considering it has been touting the watch as the device to take down the Swiss watch industry, despite the fact that many suggest that the Swiss watch industry has stood the test of time and will not be taken out by a smartwatch.
While many suggest that the Apple Watch and Swiss watchmakers serve different markets, a number of Swiss watchmakers have come out with pseudo smartwatches of their own. Many of these devices, rather than being straight up smartwatches, are luxury watches that employ smart features, such as the ability to connect to smartphones in order to relay information and the ability to track fitness data.
The Apple Watch represents Apple's first move into a new market since 2010's iPad, and is set to go on sale starting on April 24. Users will not be able to buy the watch on impulse, however, and will instead have to make an appointment to try on and purchase the device.
The Apple Watch is first set to ship to nine countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, China, Japan, and the UK. The company is then expected to expand sales to other countries, but it is not yet known how quickly this will happen, with its pace largely depending on demand coupled with suppliers' ability to make the Apple Watch.
When Apple does end up releasing the Apple Watch in Switzerland, it likely won't pay too much attention to an outdated patent. Apple unveiled the iPhone despite the fact that Cisco had a similarly named voice-over-Internet phone, and the two companies resolved their conflicts quickly out of court.
Apple has experienced supply issues in the past when the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus first went on sale, with Apple having to play catch up with demand for the new device. The supply chain did eventually catch up with sales, but the release was largely considered a rocky one for Apple.
