Apple says that the iPhone 6, along with the 6 Plus, is still available in China despite a court ruling banning the model. (Photo : Getty Images/Sean Gallup)
Global tech giant Apple Inc. said that its popular iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are still available in China despite a recent loss in a patent case involving the two models.
The company made the clarification following the release of a notice published on a government website on May 19 banning the sale of the particular models, Reuters reported.
The notice was in accordance with the ruling made by the Beijing Intellectual Property Office declaring that Apple has infringed the patent of Chinese smartphone manufacturer Shenzen Baili.
Baili said in its complaint that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are strikingly similar to design to its 100C smartphone model. The little-known company added that its product began selling in the Chinese market in April 2014, several months before the two models became available.
Apple said that it has appealed for the reversal of the decision and will continue selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus while it is pending a final verdict.
This is not the first time that Apple has lost an intellectual property case against a Chinese company. In April, a Beijing court ruled in favor of a local wallet and purse manufacturer, saying that it does not have exclusive rights on the name "iPhone" and that the latter can also use it for its products.
However, analysts said that these rulings are unlikely to have a large impact on Apple's business, Bloomberg reported.
According to market analyst Tim Long of BMO Capital Markets, there have already been such instances where cases against foreign companies were initially ruled by lower courts in favor of domestic companies but were eventually overturned by higher courts.
