Apple Likely To Lose ‘iPad’ Trademark To Proview In China

Usman Qureshi
12 years ago

A senior Chinese official with the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) has said today that Proview Technology is the rightful owner of the iPad trademark, not Apple Inc., notes The Globe And Mall. Proview is already battling Apple in a Chinese court over the iPad trademark but according to the company’s lawyer, talks with Apple’s lawyers have not yet led to a decision. As a result, Proview now wants an out-of-court settlement instead, which usually involves the payment of compensation. With senior officials also siding with Proview, Apple could lose the right to the iPad trademark in China in case it fails to reach a settlement.

As stated by the source:

“According to the … provisions of the China Trademark Law, currently Shenzhen Proview is the legal registrant of the iPad trademark,” Fu Shuangjian, a deputy director of SAIC, was quoted as saying at a news conference in Beijing.

Mr. Fu’s remarks were the first public comments from a government official on the matter, and may signal how the court could rule.

“This case has a huge impact and the final court ruling would directly influence who owns the iPad trademark. The commerce department will (take the matter) very seriously,” said Mr. Fu, whose department governs market regulation and supervision.

According to Associated Press, Apple spokesperson Carolyn Wu has said:

“Apple would never knowingly abuse someone else’s trademarks. Proview still owes a lot of people a lot of money, they are now unfairly trying to get more from Apple for a trademark we already paid for.”

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