A Proview creditor, Fubon Insurance, argued in a Chinese high court on Wednesday to have Proview liquidated. If the argument is successful, it could bring an abrupt end to the ongoing iPad trademark case against Apple.
Fubon’s hearing with the Higher People’s Court of Guangdong Province is in appeal to a lower court ruling in April that blocked the creditor from forcing Proview into bankruptcy, reports Chinese language publication China Daily.
Fubon is seeking to dismantle and liquidate what remains of the nearly-deceased Proview, which owes Fubon over $8.6 million. A Proview lawyer argued to uphold the bankruptcy ban, saying the company’s remaining fixed assets with the disputed iPad trademark could help alleviate some of the financial burden.
Legal experts hold the opinion that if the request to liquidate Proview is accepted, their trademark dispute with Apple will come to an end.
Proview was at one time a thriving display manufacturer, but was hit hard during the global economic slowdown, and has managed to hold onto only one major asset, the iPad trademark. The company has been feverishly pursuing their lawsuit against Apple in the hope of squeezing a multi-million dollar settlement from Apple.
Proview’s case against Apple has been ongoing since 2010, when it filed saying that the Cupertino-based company’s purchase of the “global rights” to the iPad name didn’t include China. In May, Apple offered Proview $16 million for the trademark but the settlement was rejected.