China Back Apple in Patent War: Country Grants 40 New Patents Protecting iPhone, iPad
Apple has won a significant victory in its ongoing patent war with pretty much every other tech company in the world, securing 40 new patents in China, adding yet another layer of legal protection around the iPhone and iPad series of devices. REUTERS

Apple Inc has been granted 40 patents in China, which will help the maker of iPhones and iPads gain more intellectual property protection in the country, the China Daily reported on Wednesday.

Apple, whose mobile devices are among the most pirated gadgets in China, was granted the patents on September 9, the report said.

The patents cover 37 of its products including the iPhone, iPad and MacBook Air, and the architecture of its three stores in Shanghai, the newspaper said, quoting Patently Apple, a company blog focusing on IP news.

Most of the new patents were related to aspects of its mobile phones, such as user interface and speaker technology, according to the report.

Apple has been involved in numerous lawsuits with handset manufacturers, including South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Taiwan's HTC Corp.

Earlier this week, a source told Reuters that Samsung Electronics was considering legal action to block sales of Apple's new iPhone, in what could be its strongest step to defend against claims by the U.S. company that it had copied its product designs.

(Reporting by Twinnie Siu; Editing by Chris Lewis)

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