Chinese company Proview plans to ask for 10 billion yuan ($1.5 Billion USD) in compensation from Apple as a part of their trademark infringement lawsuit against the electronics giant.
Deng Jingyin writing for Global Times:
Apple has been denied the rights to the trademark for the term “iPad” in China, after a legal battle with Hong Kong-based Proview Technology. Proview registered the iPad trademark in markets as early as 2000, long before Apple unveiled the iPad in 2006.
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“Proview made a formal complaint to the Xicheng administration in 2011 and they had planned to slap Apple with a 240 million yuan ($38 million) fine, but it was suspended after Apple’s objections,” said Xie Xianghui, a lawyer from the Shenzhen branch of Grandall Law Firm.
In addition to requesting the investigation into Apple’s trademark infringement, they have also filed lawsuits against Apple’s authorized retailers and stores in local courts. Proview is planning ask for 10 billion yuan in compensation to resolve the entire trademark situation.
“In its lawsuit, Apple claimed that a Proview subsidiary in Taiwan had sold the iPad trademark rights to a UK-based company called ‘IP Applications,’ which then sold the trademark to Apple in 2010.
“Xiao Caiyuan, another lawyer representing Proview from Shenzhen-based GH Law Firm, told the Global Times that although Apple has appealed the court’s ruling, it would probably lose the appeal again based on existing facts.”
According to The Xiamen Economic Daily, some have pointed out that Proview is in a debt crisis, and is trying to use the case against Apple to get out of financial troubles.
Lawyers representing Apple could not be reached for comment.
