While Google seems intent on remaining in the cloud in terms of device sales, one thing has recently been made clear — should they decide to go the retail route with stores of their own, they should not have them looking like an Apple Store. The reasoning here, Apple has recently been granted an official US trademark (from the USPTO) for their retail stores.

Yes, the minimalist, clean looking Apple Stores are now trademarked. This filing goes back to May of 2010 and aside from seeing the date and realizing this has been an ongoing process, the language in the filing did not even include one of the currently available best selling Apple devices. That device is the tablet. The filing noted the stores as being a place to show: “retail store services featuring computers, computer software, computer peripherals.”

The listing went on to include these as being “mobile phones, consumer electronics, and related accessories, and demonstration of products relating thereto.” Tablets aside though, other notable portions of the filing included the store as having “a clear glass storefront surrounded by a panelled facade.” Moving to the interior, this portion of the filing described the store as having a series of “oblong table and stools [that are] set below video screens flush mounted on the back wall.”

Of course, those visiting an Apple Store now will realize that back wall is not always the same. In fact, often times that location is now the Genius Bar or sales counter. Instead of continuing to pick apart the Apple Store trademark filing though, let us ask the question — should Google decide to go the brick and mortar route, what do you think a Google retail store would look like?

[via SlashGear]