Surprising win for Apple in Chinese patent dispute
Tech giant Apple has won a surprising victory after the Beijing IP Court ruled its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus did not copy designs created by smartphone maker Shenzhen Baili Marketing Services. The now-defunct firm claimed the Apple devices copied its own 100C smartphones, prompting an injunction which forbade the California-based tech giant from selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in Beijing. Upon appeal, sales were once again permitted, pending the outcome of a court review. Apple recently announced a $508m investment for two research and development centres in China.

Apple had announced it would invest $508 million in China earlier this month.

Apple has won a trial against a Chinese phone maker in Beijing as a court overturned a ruling against Apple Inc. over iPhone patents, a media report said on Monday.The Beijing IP Court ruled that the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus do not infringe on patents for exterior smartphone design held by a defunct local manufacturer, Shenzhen Baili Marketing Services Co, technology website Marketwatch.com reported.The disputes were over the exterior design of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models, which Shenzhen Baili claimed were a copy of their 100C smartphones.Initially, Apple was handed an injunction to stop selling its iPhone 6 line in Beijing for alleged infringement.Apple and Beijing-based phone retailer Zoomflight quickly filed an administrative appeal with the Beijing Intellectual Property Bureau and Apple was permitted to sell the phones until further review by the court.The Cupertino-based company on Saturday opened a new Apple Store in Nanjing city of China which has a 90-by-30-foot glass entryway.For the first time, customers can explore The Forum -- a place where the local community can gather and learn -- and The Boardroom -- a space for local entrepreneurs, developers and business customers to get hands-on advice and training.Earlier this month, Apple announced it would invest $508 million in China to build two additional Research and Development (R&D) centers in Shanghai and Suzhou to boost local talent.Apple's attempt to boost its presence in China began last September with the opening of its first R&D center in Beijing's Zhongguancun Science Park, often referred to as "China's Silicon Valley".With this investment, Apple will have a total of four centers in China.