Apple gains 40 patents in China

Apple has been granted 40 patents from China’s Patent Office to help it gain more intellectual property protection in the country, Reuters reported, citing state media. According to Patently Apple, a company blog focusing on IP news, Apple’s patents cover 37 of its products, including the iPhone, iPad and MacBook Air, as well as the architecture of its three stores in Shanghai. However, most of the new patents are related to the application of interface and speaker technology in its mobile phones, which are widely pirated in China.  Apple has been involved in numerous lawsuits with handset makers, including Taiwan’s HTC (2498.TW) and Samsung Electronics (SMSN.LSE), the latter of which is considering legal action to block sales of Apple’s new iPhone.