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| (Source: Apple) |
Apple Inc. has once again failed to secure patent protection in South Korea for its titanium surface treatment technology aimed at improving color consistency and resistance to color change in portable electronic device enclosures.
On June 2025, the Korean Intellectual Property Tribunal (KIPTAB) dismissed Apple's appeal of a refusal decision by the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) concerning its patent application titled "Titanium Surfaces With Improved Color Consistency and Resistance to Color Change" (Application No. 10-2023-0062623). Apple had filed the appeal in July 2024 after KIPO initially denied the patent registration.
The disputed application is a divisional of an earlier filing submitted in 2021 (Application No. 10-2021-0175718), which was also rejected by both KIPO and KIPTAB. Apple contested that decision as well, but KIPTAB rejected the appeal in December 2023.
The 2021 application itself stemmed from an even earlier 2020 filing (Application No. 10-2020-0012990), which similarly failed to gain approval. KIPTAB denied Apple's petition in that case in August 2022.
Despite the string of rejections, Apple is continuing to pursue patent protection. A further divisional application (Application No. 10-2024-0091316) based on the 2023 filing was published in July 2024 and remains pending.
The series of applications describe a surface treatment process for titanium enclosures in portable electronic devices, utilizing anodization to precisely control the b* color value. The technology is designed to enhance design uniformity and prevent color variation, especially under environmental exposure.
Apple may still challenge the latest KIPTAB ruling by filing an appeal with the Korean Patent Court.
By PatenTrip
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