Microsoft has designed itself a new logo for its forthcoming retail stores, which aim to take on the popular Apple retail stores across the world.

The logo has been filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (see the application).

The filing states that the logo "consists of four squares arranged in a rectangular grid. Each square is colored to form three square-shaped regions within the square, with the color of each region gradating from dark to light toward the center of the design. The upper left square design is red, the lower left square is blue, the upper right square is green and the lower right square is yellow. The squares are separated by blank space."

As an indication of what will be on sale in the Microsoft stores the official document states that the logo is for "retail store services and online retail services featuring computers, computer hardware, software, computer games, computer peripherals, portable music players and accessories, personal digital assistants, cell phones and accessories, video game consoles and accessories, webcams, books, clothing, back packs, messenger bags, computer bags and novelty items".

Microsoft plans to open its own retail stores to "transform the PC and Microsoft buying experience", the company said as it hired an executive to run the retail operation.

The stores will help Microsoft engage more deeply with consumers and learn firsthand about what they want to buy and how, according to Microsoft.

Deciding where the stores will be located and what they'll look like will be the first order of business for David Porter, who will report to work on Monday as corporate vice president of Retail Stores.

Microsoft has long been perceived as lagging behind rival Apple in appealing directly to consumers, and Apple has a head start of several years in running a chain of stores.

While Microsoft makes its own Xbox game terminals, Zune media players and some other devices, it doesn't have a branded PC product of its own like Apple's Macintosh.

The software giant will open its retail stores near Apple's existing locations, a company spokesperson has confirmed, possibly even as close as right next door in some instances.

"We're going to have some retail stores opened up right next door to Apple stores this fall," COO Kevin Turner stated during a Webcast conference on Wednesday, according to a report published by Reuters.

Additional reporting by Stephen Lawson and JR Raphael.

This story, "A Peek at the Microsoft Store Logo" was originally published by PC Advisor (UK) .