‘There’s an app for that’ belongs to Apple
The phrase “There’s an app for that” has been a part of Apple’s promotion of the iTunes app store and the iPhone for some time, and they have now formalized their usage rights with a U.S. Trademark.
The phrase is already in common use, both in individual conversations and in the tech press. Of course, it originated (as far as we know) in Apple’s marketing for the iPhone, and now their ownership of the phrase (in certain situations) belongs to Apple, according to a Register article. For the record, Apple’s trademarked ownership of the phrase only legally applies to the following: “Retail store services featuring computer software provided via the Internet and other computer and electronic communication networks; retail store services featuring computer software for use on handheld mobile digital electronic devices and other consumer electronics.”
In other words, it is perfectly acceptable for a company besides Apple to use the phrase in the marketing, for example, of fresh bananas at the market or clothes washing machines over at the appliance store, if those folks (and others) can make it fit for those purposes. Apple has fewer restrictions on their use of the phrase than it may appear. Certainly is is useful for them to make use of it in relationship to the iPhone and iPad, but they are not limited to that according to the wording above. There is no reason that they cannot use the same verbiage to market apps that run in their Apple TV device sitting atop your television or on their entire line of Mac computers.
It may never rank up there with “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz™” but it does carry the message that Apple wants to deliver to a prospective mobile (or stationary) device owner. With their commanding lead in the number of apps available, it also does a good job of stating the truth, a rather novel idea for advertising, don’t you think?
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