If Apple develops a new technology that revolutionizes its iPhones, they would primarily use patents to stop others from copying their invention. Patents provide exclusive rights to the inventor for a specific period (usually 20 years) to exploit their invention commercially, preventing others from making, using, or selling the patented technology without permission.
Other types of intellectual property mentioned, such as copyright, trademarks, geographical indications, and registered designs, have different scopes and functions:
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Copyright primarily protects original works of authorship (like software code, music, and literature) rather than inventions or functional technology.
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Trademarks protect brand names, logos, and slogans, helping to distinguish goods/services but not the inventions themselves.
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Geographical indications indicate a product's origin and are not relevant to technological innovations.
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Registered designs protect the visual appearance or aesthetic features of a product, but they do not cover the underlying functional technology itself.
Therefore, in the context of revolutionary technology, the most relevant form of intellectual property protection would be patents.
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