Apple Tightens Its Grip on the App Store Brand — and Its Ad Economics
Jan/22/2026
Apple’s latest trademark opposition and product experiment point in the same direction: tighter control over the App Store as both a brand and a business. On January 21, the company moved to block Yuneng Technology’s 'APstore' trademark in the U.S., arguing that the name encroaches on Apple’s flagship App Store identity, even though the application covers advertising services and extended warranties for energy hardware rather than software distribution. At the same time, Apple is quietly testing a redesign of App Store search ads on iPhones, removing the familiar blue background that once clearly separated sponsored results from organic ones. If rolled out broadly, ads would blend more seamlessly into search listings, marked only by a small 'Ad' label—an adjustment that may blur user perception but promises higher engagement and stronger advertising revenues. Together, the legal action and interface tweak underscore Apple’s determination to defend the App Store name while extracting more value from the ecosystem built around it.
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