Apple Scores Sixteen Design Patents in This Major Market

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) investors finally have some good news to celebrate regarding patents, but the good news isn’t coming out of California, where Apple suffered another setback in its patent-infringement trial versus Samsung (005930.KS). This time the good news is coming out of Hong Kong, where Apple was awarded sixteen design patents, mostly related to the graphic design elements found in various Apple icons for the iPhoto iOS.

According to PatentlyApple, the newly won patents include the iPhoto icon for iOs, the iPhoto for iOS Swatches icon, the iPhoto iOS “Brushes” graphic, the “Glass Shelving” graphic used in iPhoto iOS Journals, and many other user interface elements from Apple’s iPhoto for iOS. Besides patents covering iPhoto iOS design elements, Apple was also granted a design patent for the Siri “Microphone” icon and the Apple TV user interface graphics.

Apple originally applied for the patents in Hong Kong in September 2012 and the patents were granted on March 1, 2013…