Mobile applications have become an indispensable part of daily life in the digital world. The mobile app economy has grown exponentially, driven by a vast community of software developers.
Intellectual property (IP) mechanisms help mobile application developers and publishers to generate more income from their creations.
This project was launched by the WIPO Committee on Intellectual Property and Development (CDIP) with the goal to improve the understanding of how the use of IP can generate income in the mobile app business and to empower mobile application developers with tools for using IP in their work.
For more information, download the Project's Scoping Study on the Availability and IP Tools for Mobile Applications (PDF), which identifies IP protection mechanisms for mobile apps in three beneficiary countries: Kenya, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Philippines.
Mobile apps are multilayered products with different features, protected by various intellectual property (IP) rights.
This publication serves as a guide for app developers and publishers to protect their intellectual property legally.
Mobile apps are complex products that use various types of IP.
If you are a mobile app developer, use this section to learn why you should consider intellectual property when creating a mobile application, how to protect your mobile app and how to avoid infringement of someone else's IP while creating your application.
Download this handbook to discover the app ecosystem through the lens of the intellectual property that underpins the app economy. This Handbook seeks to provide concise and comprehensive educational material on IP in apps. It explains in a friendly and professional manner the structure, income streams and the operation of IP in apps, showcasing how IP fuels the app economy and contributes to industry performance and economic growth. A wide range of issues are explained through cases and examples. The Handbook builds on multiple resources developed by WIPO and is intended for anyone who wishes to understand the IP aspects of the app economy and expand knowledge in this key digital sector. [PDF]
