Company Uses Leaked Pics to Build and Patent iPhone 5
Apple may face some trouble if it tries to launch the iPhone 5 in China. Why? Because someone has already built it.
Apple is in the middle of a massively public patent infringement battle with Samsung. The Cupertino-based company claims that Samsung stole some aspects of the iPad and iPhone's design for its own Galaxy line of tablets and smartphones. In fact, Samsung isn't the only company that Apple has filed suit against for patent infringement, and considering its history with filing suits, we imagine it will be pretty upset by the actions of a Chinese company that has built a phone based on leaked images of the iPhone 5. Not only that, but this company has also patented the design of said device.
BGR points to an article on GizChina that says a Chinese manufacturer has thrown together a phone based on Apple's rumored iPhone 5 and patented the device. The company said it plans to sue Apple if it tries to put the iPhone 5 up for sale in China. GizChina reports that the GooPhone i5 is an Android 4.0 smartphone based on a Tegra 3 processor and 1GB of RAM. In keeping with iPhone 5 rumors, the GooPhone i5 features a 4 inch screen, smaller dock connector and larger external speaker grills.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 5 at an event next Thursday, so we'll have to wait until then to see how the real iPhone 5 compares to the GooPhone i5.

Methinks only if you're chinese. Or in bed with the government. Or both.
Yes, kind of.
Remember that Chinese company that got 60(or 600 millions) from selling the brand name iPad to Apple a little while ago?
Love this idea.
Someone should patent something like "communicate with your phone/pda using Chinese languages" in China, haha, wait and get rich.
Yeah, the entire patent system could not be more screwed up. MAJOR overhaul/reform needed.
If all the parts are made in China, then its a simple matter of logistics that the phone could be ready for sale in China faster than anywhere else in the world. Especially if you are going for a global launch, someone who is targeting only China could certainly beat you to the punch locally.
But no.. paying an American worker $20 in labor to make an iPhone is $19 less profit than paying a Chinese worker $0.10 and paying $0.90 in shipping.
You reap what you sew....
It's hilarious.
Apple deserves this!
It's not about being anti Apple, or applauding a company for stealing a design, it's about making people aware of just how broken the patent system is. Unfortunately, apple has played a big part in it with all of the misc., industry standard patents that they have applied for and been awarded. There is a big difference between innovation, and building upon someone elses work and patenting the end result. Not every patent apple has been given is truly innovative if you take the time to read through them and realize that many they have just expanded on someone elses work.