Trademork.com, a web site that specializes in tracking trademark filings, reports that Apple filed to expand its trademarks to include a new (for Apple) trademark class: International Class 028. This class covers goods and/or services relating to "Toys, games and playthings, namely, hand-held units for playing electronic games; hand-held units for playing video games; standalone video game machines; electronic games other than those adapted for use with television receivers only; LCD game machines; electronic educational game machines; and toys, namely battery-powered computer games.”
Apple may be getting ready to offer new consumer products in the gaming industry, or it may simply be protecting the games it already includes with iPod, iTouch, and iPhone products.
For now, only Apple knows what's on its drawing board, but the company has already shown a willingness to expand into territories well beyond its original core market.