According to a new 9to5Mac report, Apple's much-needed addition of the clocks app to the iPad with its newest iOS 6 operating system is, as per the claims of Swiss Federal Railways, a knock-off of the Swiss railways' "classic" design.

Pointing out that the design for the clock display which Apple has used in iOS 6 is a direct copy of clocks from Swiss railways, SBB - Switzerland's railway operator - said that Apple had copied the design of the clock without paying a licensing fee.

Going by the information shared by SBB spokesman Christian Ginsing with publication Tages Anzeiger, the "classic" design of the clocks was created by Hans Hilfker way back in 1944; and was a copyrighted design as well as an SBB trademark.

Ginsing also said that while the SBB was the sole owner of the trademark and copyright to the design of the clock - which is used in all the railway stations in Switzerland -, the design had earlier been licensed out to Swiss watch manufacturer Mondaine.

With SBB accusing Apple of illegally copying its "classic" clock design, Swiss newspaper Blick has said in a recent report that SBB is likely file a legal complaint against Apple; though Apple will probably get a chance to pay financial damages to SBB for already using the design in iOS 6 and also for its use in the future.