Sky News is reporting hearings have begun in a Chinese case against Apple initiated by a Chinese company who claims the voice-assisting 'Siri' imitates its own software, Xiaoi.

This is not the first time Apple has been hit with lawsuits in China, with the giant recently being forced to fork out $60 million to Chinese company Proview in a dispute over the iPad trademark.

Meanwhile the China Consumer's Association (CCA) has asked Apple Inc. to "sincerely apologize to Chinese consumers" and "thoroughly correct its problems," after the US firm took little action to address a barrage of criticism from Chinese consumers.

Apple admitted the device is "classifiable as a portable computer", entitling buyers to two-year after-sale service packages for its key components, according to the statement.