April 3 (Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc. filed a federal challenge to New York's trademark application for a new ``Big Apple'' logo, saying it's too similar to the stylized emblem found on iPhones, iPods and iMac computers.

The Cupertino, California-based company says the symbol for New York's ``GreeNYC'' initiative promoting recycling and other sustainable habits is confusingly similar to the logo used by Apple since 1977.

NYC & Company Inc., the city's tourism and marketing office, filed the trademark application in May. The logo, including the outline of an apple with a stem and a single leaf, is used on its Web site and on other ``green'' products.

Apple filed the challenge on Jan. 16 in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, as previously reported by Wired.com. New York responded on Feb. 26, saying Apple's challenge is bogus, and that Apple used fraud to win overly broad protection for its logo.

To contact the reporter on this story: Erik Larson in New York at elarson4@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: April 3, 2008 14:37 EDT