No, the iPhone hasn’t been hit with a China sales ban, but Apple is in a sticky situation

Apple’s iPhone 6s starts at US$800 in China, where most people don’t opt for subsidized phone contracts.

A couple of inaccurate reports, such as one on Forbes, suggests that Apple’s iPhone today got hit with a nationwide sales ban in China due to a copyright case. That’s not true. But Apple is facing a weird and complex legal challenge right now.

As per Bloomberg:

Apple Inc. violated the design patents of a Chinese device maker and may have to halt sales of its latest iPhones in Beijing, the city’s intellectual property authority ruled, handing the US company its latest setback in a pivotal market.

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus infringe on Shenzhen Baili’s patent rights because of similarities to its 100C phone, the Beijing Intellectual Property Office wrote in its decision. Apple, whose iconic gadgets helped define the modern smartphone industry, didn’t respond to requests for comment. The company can appeal the ruling and could be allowed to continue selling its phones during the process.

While the decision covers only Beijing, future lawsuits against Apple could take the case as a precedent, potentially influencing the outcomes of litigation elsewhere in China.

So the iPhone is still on sale in Beijing and across the country.

In case you’re wondering, the no-name brand’s phone looks like this:

This latest legal setback for Apple comes a month after an accessories maker won the right to use the “IPHONE” brand on its range of wallets and purses.