The iPhone 3G is basically an old smartphone now, and the newer iPhone 3GS has also been available for quite some time, so one would expect that the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS design patents would have been grated to Apple a long time ago, especially with the next generation iPhone 4G on the horizon.

Apparently this is not the case though as according to an article over on engadget by way of gorumors, the USPTO have now granted the design patents for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS to Apple.

The patent grant credits Steve Jobs and Jonathan P. Ive amongst the inventors along with several looks-a-like handsets such as the Meizu M8, Prada, and LG KE850 and covers any device “substantially similar” to the patent images.

Seems to me it’s a tad late in being granted anyway considering just how many iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS handsets, which the Chinese iPhone 3GS now packs WiFi by the way, Apple has pushed out, but I guess late is better than never.