Apple has a patent received on the design of a notebook that has big resemblance with the first MacBook Air generation. The chance seems small, however that the manufacturer’s patent can successfully bet against competing ultrabooks.
The patent number D654.072 has as description: “the appearance design of an electronic device” and refers to the images. Steve Jobs and Apple designer Jonathan Ive will be named as co-inventors and the images show clearly a MacBook Air.
This leads Mashable to the claim that ultrabook makers must be careful with their designs, and that Apple is the patent against them can bet. The site refers to the rumor that Apple Pegatron has been forced to the production of the Asus Zenbook to cease, because this ultrabook is the MacBook Air seems. The notebook on the pictures accompanying the patent shows more similarities with the first generation MacBook Air. The property that the interfaces of this laptop is behind a sliding door are concealed, as clearly on the pictures to see, a small chance that Apple will patent any successful bets.
Update, 11.30 am: The images date back, in slightly modified form from 2008, as published in the patent D604,294. Also the design of the new MacBook Pro is patented. This is stated in the patent, number D642,172, which in October 2010 was submitted.
