Apple has lost the "iPhone" trademark in China on May 3, 2016 and must now share it with Beijing-based leather products maker, Xintong Tiandi Technology.

Quartz reported that the Beijing Municipal High People's Court rejected Apple's appeal of an earlier ruling on March 31. Meanwhile, Xintong was selling products such as purses, passport cases as well as mobile phone cases with the "iPhone" mark on.

appleinsider said that Xintong registered its trademark in China in 2007, the same year Apple introduced iPhone in the United States. Apple then registered "iPhone" in China for computer products in 2012.

In 2013, the government ruled that because Apple failed to prove "iPhone" was well-known prior to Xintong's registration, Apple interests would not be harmed. The High People's Court later rejected the appeal noting that Apple did not sell any iPhones in China until 2009.

(Source: Asia IP)