Apple hopes to stop China from ripping off its best retail store yet

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Why visit the Apple Store when you can get stuff deliver same day?
The gorgeous West Lake Apple Store in Hangzhou. Photo: Foster + Partners
Photo: Apple

As can be seen everywhere from Xiaomi’s not-so-original smartphone designs to the number of knockoff Apple Watches already available for sale, Apple has a problem with ripoffs in China.

But having recently unveiled its stunning new West Lake store in Hangzhou — featuring an all-glass facade and floating second floor — the company’s taking no chances: it’s filed (and been granted) a design patent to make sure that no-one tries to mimic its iconic design.

The Hangzhou store was designed by Apple’s architectural firm, Foster + Partners: the same people behind its upcoming yet-to-be-named spaceship-style Campus 2. During the construction of the Hangzhou store, its appearance was covered by an especially-commissioned mural.

The 15-metre-high building is described as combining an “understanding of the local context with the philosophy of simplicity, beauty and technical innovation that characterises Apple’s products.”

Xiaomi can take copying this off its "to-do" list for 2016.
Xiaomi can take copying this off its “to-do” list for 2016.

With Apple trying to aggressively grow its brand in China, where copyrights and trademarks can often be slackly enforced, it makes sense that the company would want to try and patent as much of its intellectual property as possible.

This isn’t the first time Apple has come up with design patents for its stores, however. Apple holds existing patents for everything from its famous Fifth Avenue glass box, to its glass staircases. Even its minimalist approach store layout itself is trademarked, to try and stop rival tech companies like Samsung from swooping in and ripping it off.

How well any of this will work in China remains to be seen. Hey, at least an entire building is tougher to copy than an iPhone design. Not that that’s stopped people trying in the past

Via: Patently Apple

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