• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechFortune 500

Apple Sued In China For Allegedly Copying iPhone 6 Design

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 16, 2016, 3:11 PM ET
Apple Starts iPhone 6 Sales In Germany
A shopper tries out the new Apple iPhone 6 at the Apple Store on the first day of sales of the new phone in Germany on September 19, 2014 in Berlin, Germany. Photograph by Sean Gallup — Getty Images

Apple is in a court battle in China that isn’t going so well.

Baili, a Chinese device maker, has sued Apple (AAPL) for allegedly copying its smartphone design in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. A Chinese court recently granted Baili an injunction that would have forced Apple to remove the iPhone 6 line from store shelves. However, Apple quickly appealed the ruling to a higher court, which will allow it to continue selling the iPhone 6 line until that court makes its own ruling on the case.

Gadget site Engadget previously reported on the lawsuit.

The smartphone in question is Baili’s 100C, which sells under the 100+ brand. The device has a somewhat similar design to the iPhone 6 with a big screen, a black bezel around the display, and a thin body. However, Baili’s smartphone also looks rather similar to many other Android-based devices on the market.

According to a posting on Tenna, a China-based e-commerce site, the 100C went on sale in April 2014. Apple’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus went on sale in the fall of 2014, which Baili has noted in its argument against Apple.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Oddly, the Baili lawsuit doesn’t include the iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus, though those devices have the same design as the iPhone 6 line.

Winning in a local court in China isn’t necessarily uncommon for Chinese companies. Indeed, several lawsuits by Chinese companies against U.S. technology giants including Apple and Tesla (TSLA), haven’t turned out so well in lower courts for the American firms. However, when the cases reach a higher court, they’re often overturned. Exactly why there’s such a difference in rulings across lower courts and higher courts is unknown.

Still, after winning the first case, Baili is on the offensive, forcing Apple to show that its iPhone 6 doesn’t infringe and should remain on store shelves.

If it prevails, Apple’s iPhones will remain on shelves alongside Baili’s. However, an Apple loss could result in Apple being forced to take the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus out of Chinese stores. Baili might also be entitled to damages, although a court would ultimately decide on the final figure.

For more on Apple, watch:

For now, though, the companies are preparing for their next legal battle, which likely won’t be resolved for months.

While Baili was unreachable at the time of publication, Apple declined Fortune‘s request for comment on the lawsuit on Thursday. However, the company reversed course and issued the following statement to Fortune on Friday confirming our earlier report: “iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus as well as iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone SE models are all available for sale today in China. We appealed an administrative order from a regional patent tribunal in Beijing last month and as a result the order has been stayed pending review by the Beijing IP Court.”

Update 06/17/16 at 11:02 a.m. ET to include Apple’s new statement.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

From wool sneakers to GPUs: Allbirds’ desperate AI pivot and 600% stock surge, explained
AIRetail
From wool sneakers to GPUs: Allbirds’ desperate AI pivot and 600% stock surge, explained
By Phil WahbaApril 15, 2026
2 hours ago
Pause AI and Stop AI: Meet the anti-AI groups facing questions after the attack on Sam Altman
AIOpenAI
Pause AI and Stop AI: Meet the anti-AI groups facing questions after the attack on Sam Altman
By Sharon GoldmanApril 15, 2026
2 hours ago
Woman drinking coffee
AIConsumers
Starbucks wants you to ask ChatGPT about what coffee to get, right as America boils over with AI backlash vibes
By Tristan BoveApril 15, 2026
2 hours ago
The Bezos-Musk space rivalry is shooting for the moon, and the winner will dominate not just the cosmos—but the future of AI infrastructure
AIAerospace
The Bezos-Musk space rivalry is shooting for the moon, and the winner will dominate not just the cosmos—but the future of AI infrastructure
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezApril 15, 2026
3 hours ago
A sign hangs on the front door of a shuttered Allbirds store on April 02, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.
AIRetail
Allbirds ditches sneaker business to pivot to AI compute, stock surges over 700%
By Eva RoytburgApril 15, 2026
4 hours ago
Sal Khan
SuccessEducation
This CEO has teamed up with Google, Microsoft, and McKinsey to build an AI degree that could rival Harvard—and it will cost only $10,000 to attend
By Preston ForeApril 15, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated again—a week after gifting millions to a college, she's just given $70 million to Meals on Wheels America
Success
Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated again—a week after gifting millions to a college, she's just given $70 million to Meals on Wheels America
By Fortune EditorsApril 13, 2026
2 days ago
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
Environment
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
By Fortune EditorsApril 15, 2026
7 hours ago
Retirees are facing a $345,000 bill they never saw coming — and most aren't prepared
Commentary
Retirees are facing a $345,000 bill they never saw coming — and most aren't prepared
By Fortune EditorsApril 14, 2026
1 day ago
Palantir CEO says working at his $316 billion software company is better than a degree from Harvard or Yale: ‘No one cares about the other stuff’
Success
Palantir CEO says working at his $316 billion software company is better than a degree from Harvard or Yale: ‘No one cares about the other stuff’
By Fortune EditorsApril 14, 2026
1 day ago
Warren Buffett’s first tax return showed $7 owed to the IRS. The then paperboy and former Berkshire Hathaway CEO is now worth $143 billion
Success
Warren Buffett’s first tax return showed $7 owed to the IRS. The then paperboy and former Berkshire Hathaway CEO is now worth $143 billion
By Fortune EditorsApril 14, 2026
1 day ago
Anthropic is facing a wave of user backlash over reports of performance issues with its Claude AI chatbot
AI
Anthropic is facing a wave of user backlash over reports of performance issues with its Claude AI chatbot
By Fortune EditorsApril 14, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.