Apple, iPhone variants available for sale in China after Beijing’s barred their sales saying the designs had infringed by a Chinese company.
The handsets are still available as Apple appeals, and analysts said it was unlikely to affect sales nationwide. Shenzhen Baili is not one of China’s better-known companies, and the Chinese market is awash with phones that resemble the iPhone.
Apple historically had enjoyed a favourable treatment in China, but Beijing’s crackdown on the iPhone 6 and 6 plus is a reminder that the tech giant is not immune to the scrutiny that other U.S. tech firms have long faced in the country, said analyst Colin Gillis of BGC Partners.
“The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus sold on the market violate patent rights,” the ruling reads. “The offending party is ordered to immediately stop the infringing behaviour,” it added, ordering Apple to “stop selling” the two devices.
“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,” the company said. “We appealed an administrative order from a regional patent tribunal in Beijing last month and as a result, the order has stayed pending review by the Beijing IP Court.”
In a note to clients on Friday, analysts at RBC Capital Markets said: “We do not think the case will have any material negative impact on Apple’s revenue and margins in China.”