The Beijing Intellectual Property Bureau has ruled that Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus copied the design of a handset made by a Chinese firm, and has banned their sale in the city. A statement says that Baili’s 100C and the iPhones are so similar that “the average customer could not notice [a difference].”
Apple has filed an appeal, which means that it can continue to sell its phones until the court makes a decision.
Analyst Comment
The ruling doesn’t seem to have been thought through – not only do the phones not look similar (Baili’s phone is much more similar to any number of Android handsets), but it also doesn’t mention the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus – which are externally identical to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. (TA)
