Apple wants to patent and trademark its Thunderbolt trademark and technology

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) started the year with submitting three new patent applications. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) detailed various aspects of Apple's revolutionary I/O technology called Thunderbolt. Apple already filed a slew of Thunderbolt trademarks in 2011.

But many experts (and lawyers) wonder: does Apple really own the trademark and technology? Many believe that Thunderbolt was developed by Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) and brought to market with technical collaboration from Apple Inc.

However, it seems that savvy Apple goes out of its way to secure Thunderbolt related patents. Already filed Thunderbolt trademarks include multiple and detailed patents. It looks like Apple abandoned its previous (legal) position that its involvement in the development of Thunderbolt was limited to "technical collaboration." Is pulling Apple a fast one on Intel, or is this a classic case of unclear expectations? Intel did not react (yet).

The good news is that Apple seems to be focused on bringing Thunderbolt to iOS devices in the near future. This would mean faster data transfers and faster recharging, which is something users have been looking for.