Apple, Inc. lost a trademark dispute in
China against local monitor vendor Proview Technology. Proview
registered 'iPAD' and 'IPAD' as its trademarks in 2000 in China and
several other countries.
Last Apple filed two lawsuits against
Proview claiming that the latter infringed on its trademarks.
In 2009, the Taiwanese subsidiary of
Proview sold the 'iPAD' and 'IPAD' trademark to UK company IP
Applications. In 2010, IP Applications sold them to Apple for
about $55,000.
However, the Court in China ruled that
the transfer of the trademarks was not valid since it was the
Taiwanese subsidiary which carried out the sale and not the Chinese
parent company. and thus the parent company retained the right to use
the trademarks on the Chinese mainland. Am a bit hazy with this part
since it seems that the court recognized the transfer of the iPad
Trademark, just not its use in China.
Proview has filed its own trademark
infringement lawsuit against Apple, and is after US$1.5 billion in
compensation.
Apple can appeal the decision, but it may have to settle with Proview if it want's to sell its iPad under the "iPad" name in China now.
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