Google has just filed a trademark application for a fundamental design element found on the back of every Pixel smartphone. From the original Pixel in 2016 to the Pixel 8 in 2023, every single model has this design trait yet the company never trademarked it. We are talking about the stylized “G” logo. Google recently filed to trademark the logo in the US.
Google finally decided to trademark the “G” logo found on Pixel devices
Smartphones change in a lot of ways every year. Companies try different ways to improve the user experience, leading to new features and design alterations. Some companies believe in keeping the design unchanged (looking at you, Apple) but other aspects of the device evolve. If anything remains unchanged forever, it is the company logo.
Each firm has a unique logo that they slap on the back of their phones. Be it Apple’s iPhone, Samsung’s Galaxy, or Google’s Pixel, the logo serves as a symbol of identity for the brand. Unsurprisingly, companies don’t want to modify their logos frequently. For years, we have been seeing the same Apple logo on iPhones or the stylized Samsung logo on Galaxy devices.
Google also shipped its first Pixel phone with a stylized “G” logo in 2016. Since then, it has featured on the back of every Pixel device, including foldables and tablets. The logo originally sat on the bottom half of the back panel but was moved to the middle with the Pixel 6 series in 2021. The design remained unchanged even as Google tinkered with its positioning.
Years later, Google has finally filed to trademark this logo. It recently submitted the application to the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office). “The mark consists of a stylized G on the back of a mobile device,” the company explains. The paperwork contains a sketch showing the logo placed centrally on the back of the device. It appears Google doesn’t plan to move it anytime soon.
Google tablets feature the same logo
Google’s patent application for its logo only talks about its use on phones. “The G trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of phones, namely, telephones, mobile phones, cellular phones, and smartphones,” the documents state. However, as said earlier, you will find the same logo on Pixel tablets too. The company has only launched one model so far, but the Pixel Tablet 2 is on the way. The Pixel 9 series, which may undergo a design change, will also feature this logo.
