On April 4, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a possible new retail packaging system. The system is designed to provide an Apple Store customer with the ability to conveniently customize an iDevice's content while it's still in its original packaging. The customer picks the iDevice and brings it to an in-store kiosk so that they could connect the device to the kiosk and be able to customize its content with iTunes, Apps and more. This is great for gift giving situations. The customer will also be able to print out a custom label with a message on it such as Happy Birthday. It's a smart idea plain and simple.

On January 24, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's latest registered trademark certificate for Apple's "Distinctive Design & Layout." Apple was granted two designs officially on Tuesday covering their design in both color and black and white. This particular design is that of your typical mall centric Apple Store layout. Apple had originally filed for these trademarks in May 2010. The Apple Store's design was a noted passion in the biography of Steve Jobs by Walter Issacson. In fact all of chapter twenty-nine is dedicated to the history of the new Apple Stores. The late Steve Jobs once stated that "Unless we could find a way to get our message to customers at the store, we were screwed." When it comes to shopping for a new computer or mobile device today, the Apple Store experience has no equal in the industry. 

In Walter Isaacson's biography simply titled "Steve Jobs," Issacson penned, "Jobs hated to cede control of anything, especially when it might affect the customer experience. But he faced a problem. There was one part of the process he didn't control: The experience of buying an Apple product in a store." Even when Jobs initially presented his vision for Apple retail stores to the Company board, Issacson writes, "the board was not thrilled." Although they finally got on board with Steve's vision, it goes to prove that even Jobs had to fight internal head winds on getting some of his ideas approved. The video we present to you below can't be viewed without saying to yourself, this is the house that Steve built. This is one of his greatest contributions to the " Total Apple Experience." If you've ever been in an Apple Store, then you know it's one of the greatest retail experiences bar none.

On November 22, 2012, the US Patent & Trademark Office published several patent applications from Apple that relate to their retail store signage and table-top device security. One patent discusses management of multiple dynamic signage devices that could be coordinated within and across stores, and an interactive floor-map creation system incorporating dynamic signage devices that could facilitate changing the associations between products and dynamic signage devices. If retail based technology happens to be of interest to you or if you're just curious as to how Apple designs their in-store signage, our report will point you to four distinct patents that you'll be able to research to your heart's content.

On November 22, 2012, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a new customer service application specifically designed for iDevices. The project was spearheaded by Benjamin Vigier Product Manager - Mobile Commerce at Apple. Mr. Vigier who came to Apple in 2010 has valuable NFC experience having worked with French mobile operator Bouygues Telecom, an early backer of NFC. Today's revelations show us that for those fortunate enough to live in a city where there's an Apple Store, the newly designed customer service form will help to check users in to see a Genius Bar representative or a workshop/event in a more convenient way. The form will activate automatically on iDevices as they near an Apple Store and provide customers with queue times and other reservation information. Apple's online and in-store service is the very best in the industry today hands down. It now it appears that it's about to get even better.

Every once in a while we get a rare treat and get to read about Apple's vision for something new they're working on. Today it's about a new smart kiosk. Although Apple has been kicking this concept around for some time now in regards to an iTunes based Kiosk or even an iCard & Gift kiosk, I think that this time around they may have hit the right market nerve. Apple's latest in-store kiosk may reside in an Apple Store or another retailer like Best Buy. The idea is simple. You have a new iOS device and you want to find the right accessories or apps for it. You wander into a store with an Apple Kiosk and connect your device to the kiosk which uses a new determination server that will check out your device and lists recommendations. If you're searching for something specific you'll be able to narrow down your search for something like speakers or headsets. One could easily see how Apple could sneak Siri into this kind of device one day to simply dazzle the consumer. This could be the perfect way to introduce Siri to the general public and that's why I think Apple's vision for the perfect kiosk may have finally arrived.  

On November 15, 2011, the US Patent and Trademark Office surprises us with a newly granted design patent for the stunning Apple Store in New York's Upper West Side that credits the late, great Steve Jobs. An eye for design was definitely one of the key values that Steve Jobs possessed. It's echoed throughout his biography by Walter Isaacson. Whether it was the original Mac, iPhone, iPad or Store layout – Steve was constantly pushing for product designs that were both simplistic and elegant. So it's fitting that we now applaud Steve's contributions to the great Upper West Side NY Store Design. Update 9AM: Opps, we apparently goofed. The design is in fact that of the Upper West Side Apple Store in New York that uses Hanger Glass - and not that of the store in Paris that we noted in our byline.(Mon Dieu!) 

What's with Apple jamming through hundreds of design patents through China's Patent Office this past year? The increase in design patents is measurably noticeable but the reasoning behind it isn't clear in the least. One could only surmise that Apple simply foresees the majority of future copycat designers coming from Asian OEMs. With that said, today's report covers an overview of the latest 37 design patents that were granted to Apple in China this past Friday in addition to a peek at a few architectural styled figurative design graphics showcasing Apple's beautiful Shanghai Store.  

 
If you know Steve Jobs then you know that he tries to patent everything under the sun including everything related to their own Apple Stores. Whether it's their Classic Glass Apple Store architecture in New York or the average in-mall Apple Store design layout or even the iPad stands that sit on the tables at every Apple Store, they have it covered. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that Apple has once again applied for a patent to cover their unique in-store security systems for devices that includes very sophisticated cabling and alarms. The security system designs also extend to Apple Kiosks in stores like Best Buy and Future Shop. Apple also states that their security systems could extend to oddities like transportation vehicle instruments and televisions. The former speculatively sounds like a potential new accessory in the making that would be welcomed. Some of the security designs appearing in the application seem to be new and the fact that Apple only filed for a patent this past Christmas tells us that we may see some of these new designs coming to an Apple Store in the not- too-distant future.  

 
Today, the European Patent Office published a series of three Apple patent designs pertaining to, of all things, their In-Store iPad Stand. Apple, or should I really say Steve Jobs, really loves to patent or trademark whatever he can concerning Apple's retail stores. Apple has trademarked their famous glass store architecture, their distinctive retail store layout and I even remember that they patented their famous New York store's glass staircase. Well, that's what makes Apple great in the eyes of their fans: Their fanatical attention to detail!  Report Updated August 24, 2011

 
On September 24, 2010, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's latest trademark application for the "Briefing Room" under application 85133045. Apple has filed their trademark under two yet identified International Classes covering retail services and technical consulting. The specimen supplied shows us that this service is currently available at the Apple Store in Minneapolis Minnesota. This new Apple Store Business Class service is likely to now go international.  

 
On August 4, 2010, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's latest trademark application for their famous Glass Store Architecture. The design covers Apple's Fifth Avenue retail store in N.Y under TEAS Plus Application 85097331. Apple has already filed a trademark covering their Distinctive Retail Store Layout and possesses a patent covering their in-store glass staircase. With Apple's new store in Shanghai China following their glass architectural styling, it stands to reason why Apple is now trying to formalize this design as a unique Apple trademark.

 
This afternoon SlashGear pointed to new US Patent & Trademark Office trademarks for Apple under applications 85036990 and 85036986 pertaining to an Apple Store design. These application numbers don't yet officially appear in the USPTO database. Apple has supposedly filed their trademarks for the Apple Store design under International Class 035 covering "Retail store services featuring computers, computer software, computer peripherals, mobile phones, consumer electronics and related accessories, and demonstration of products relating thereto." The filings present a mark that "consists of distinctive design and layout of a retail store." The first illustration is presented above in color. A secondary black and white illustration and a retail store photo is presented in this report.