The .apple Dot Brand

Apple Inc. manufactures and markets computers, mobile communication & media devices and portable digital music players. It also sells a wide variety of software, networking solutions, services and third-party digital content etc.

Apple provides very little insight about its future plans in its application for the .apple extension. The Mission and Purpose section of its document could hardly be briefer.

In fact, Apple uses the same phrase multiple times in response to various ICANN application questions, such as: "What do you anticipate your proposed gTLD will add to the current space, in terms of competition, differentiation, or innovation?"

Apple seeks to obtain the new .apple gTLD in order to provide consumers with another opportunity to learn about Apple, and its products and services.

It provides exactly the same reply to the question: "What is the goal of your proposed gTLD in terms of areas of specialty, service levels, or reputation?"

So you will just have to speculate that Apple, being Apple, one of the world's most demonstrably imaginative and innovative companies, will likewise be innovative in its deployment of its proposed domain extension.

As a starting point, it can be assumed that the company will create websites for all its core products & services that are memorable and intuitive.

Mac.apple.

iPad.apple.

Destinations like these are simple, "one-click" domains that take you directly to the product you want. Easier than going to Apple.com and spending time finding the iPad page. Once the new domain hierarchy is understood, it should prove successful.

The .apple extension will be a restricted registry.

Apple will have exclusive control over the proposed restricted .apple gTLD. Only Apple and its authorized, affiliated entities will be able to register second-level domains.

Many of the other brand domain applicants indicate that they will monitor the initiatives of the other corportions in this space. Many other applications are examined on this website and they all provide more information than Apple. Perhaps the innovations planned by other players can give some insight into what Apple might do. Given its history, Apple is certainly a company to watch.

Geographic Dot Brands

Apple intends to protect names at the second level (left of the dot) that have national or geographic significance as required by the New TLD Registry Agreement. These kinds of country names will not be released until agreement is reached with the cooperation of the respective GAC representatives of the relevant governments.

Possible .apple Brand Domains

Search.apple
Music.apple
Movies.apple
SmartWatch.apple
Future.apple
iphone.apple
Mac.apple
Mobile.apple
Store.apple
AppStore.apple
Cloud.apple

Notes

Brand names mentioned on this site are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective corporations. This site claims no association with or endorsement by any of these corporations and their marks are mentioned only to illustrate opinion presented in the public interest.

All quotations on this page are from the respective companies' official ICANN brand TLD applications unless otherwise stated.

Many possible theoretical dot brands are mentioned (in English). There are also countless possibilities in other languages. This has significant potential value for international navigation.

This site is focused on reporting the strategic impact of the brand domains on internet communication, competition and commerce, and some comment is speculative.

It is not a comprehensive overview of what some of the world's largest corporations have chosen to reveal about their plans for the implementation of their proprietary domain strings.

ICANN is particularly concerned with the technical, financial, security and legal issues associated with the new TLDs. These issues are beyond the scope of this website.

For a comprehensive overview of the brand domains and their impact on the web, refer to ICANN's website and the individual applications (large parts of which are publicly published).

If you have a particular interest in an individual company, the public aspects of their applications are available for download via these ICANN links: You can also search a complete list of applicants there.

ICANN new gTLD applications

ICANN official website

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