Apple wins design patent case in China

Apple and a Chinese phone-maker were having design patents disputes between them, and as per the ruling by a Chinese court Apple has won the case. This will help overturn the ban due to which Apple could not sell the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus in China.

Apple wins design patent case against Shenzhen Biali

May 2016, a patent regulator in Beijing asked Apple to stop selling iPhones after a company named Shenzhen Baili Marketing Services lodged a complaint against Apple. They claimed that the patent for its mobile phone 100c was being infringed by the Apple iPhone.

Apple and its Chinese retail partner Zoomlight felt the case against them wasn't having any ground. Thus, took the company to the Beijing intellectual property court.

After almost a year-long battle, Apple on Friday got the ban removed. The court issued a statement saying that - Apple and Zoomlight did not violate Shenzhen Baili's design patent for 100c phones. The court also ruled that the regulator didn't follow the proper procedures in ordering the ban. And also there wasn't sufficient proof to the claim. The design of the iPhone does not violate any intellectual property rights.

In a related ruling, Apple had motioned the court to strip Shenzhen Baili of its design patent. For its 100c smartphones, which got denied by the court.