February 09, 2012, 11:02 AM —
flickr/cvander
Proview Technology says they own iPad name, want money and apology from Apple.
Apple says they used a front company to buy the name in 2006 from Proview Electronics of Taiwan, a subsidiary of Proview International in Hong Kong. The case started in October of 2010, trying to determine which Proview actually owned the iPad trademark, and the case is being filed in China by Proview Shenzen.
When Apple tried to transfer the trademark to Chine in 2010, the government said Proview Taiwan did not officially or legally represent Proview Shenzen, even though they seem to be completely owned by Proview Shenzen. China and Taiwan have been fighting on various political fronts for decades, and this time Apple may be caught in that fight. And Proview now demands an extra $38 million dollar fine on Apple to go along with that apology.
Chinese law
a Chinese company copied the BMW x5 and sold it in China, BMW took them to court....a Chinese one.. And LOST! (top gear last night!) What chance do Apple have?
LarsG on theregister.co.uk
The Chinese don't give a crap about intellectual property unless it is claimed to be owned by a Chinese company.
EmperorsNewClothes on appleinsider.com
just call it the happy-joy-funtime-pad instead.
nancy marsh on wsj.com
Dear China, You've stolen billions of dollars of intellectual property over several decades from us. Go F yourself. Sincerely, America
frankie on appleinsider.com
Surely the lawyers in China must know IP Application Development (IP.A.D.) ain't the same as iPad!!
bahiatronic on appleinsider.com
Business as usual?
This really should not surprise anyone as "fake" lawsuits are part or the PRCs sabre rattling/negotiation bag of tricks. Any business that uses PRC slave labor assumes this risk.
Eduard Coli on theregister.co.uk
the challenger is not naming a specific product of its own called the iPad. So, it is not clear where confusion would arise.
Julia Gomez on wsj.com
If they have enough reasons, then Apple will have to shut up and then pay the money for violating IP rights. Apple has already stolen the iPad form factor from another Chinese company.
Peter236 on appleinsider.com
Let's blame …
Apple seems to have a history of ignoring registered trademarks that belong to others until after they release products using that trademark. This unfortunate behavior makes it much more difficult to simply dismiss lawsuits like this as being baseless.
Anonymous Coward on theregister.co.uk
So a different set of rules should apply for an American company infringing, no, COUNTERFEITING a registered trademark in China?
Bajie Zhu on wsj.com
Does this story seem like a legal version of Who's On First?
