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Apple’s products have always been the most popular consumer electronic gadgets around the world. People appreciate their high tech, elegant design, they love their ipod, iphone and ipad. But there’s an old saying: tall trees catch more wind. A Chinese company is suing Apple Inc. over its use of the iPad trademark. Shenzhen Proview Technology claims ownership over the iPad name. But Apple claims that the trademark has been bought in China and other countries in 2009, and it’s Proview who failed to transfer the rights in mainland China as agreed. In order to straighten the facts, we have to go back to 10 years ago. “iPad” trademark in China mainland was registered by Shenzhen Proview Technology in 2000 and approved in 2001. As another subsidiary of Proview Technology, Taiwan Proview registered “ipad” trademark in 8 other countries including the EU, Korea, Mexico, Singapore, etc. In 2005, when Apple was planning the related ipad products, it found the trademark owned by Taiwan Proview. At that time, Apple issued an application to the UK Trademark Office asking for dismantling the unused trademark but failed. After that, IP company asked Taiwan Proview to transferred all the ipad marks it owned in the world, including trademark in China mainland. And the deal was done with the price of 35000 Pounds on December 23, 2009. On April 3, 2010, Apple’s tablet pc iPad was launched in America. On April 7th Apple signed a transfer agreement with IP Company to get all the related trademarks in the price of 10 pounds only. And then ipad tablet pc launched in China on Sepetember 17th. So here comes the issue: the “iPad” trademark in China mainland was registered by Shenzhen Proview, not Taiwan Proview. Although they both belong to Proview International, the two companies don’t belong to each other, and thus cannot sell capital of the other one. So The Chinese company claims that a deal that transferred the rights to the “iPad” trademark to Apple did not include the mainland. So now Proview accuses Apple of acting dishonestly when it bought rights to the iPad name from its Taiwan affiliate and is seeking to prevent sales of the popular tablet computers in China. It has filed lawsuits in several places and has requested that commercial authorities in 40 cities block iPad sales. Actually Proview Proview is willing to talk about a settlement because it is being pursued by 8 banks over its debts. It needs money and the “iPad” trademark in China is its most valuable asset. Therefore, it asked for 2 billion Yuan to clear the issues but Apple refused. Whether 400 million yuan or 2 billion yuan, industry insiders are saying this incident is nothing more than daylight robbery. If Apple fail in the lawsuit and still refuse the price tag, then it would be a tragedy for both. The present ipads cannot be sold in China, which is one of the biggest marketplaces for Apple products. What’s more, Apple ipad 3 is supposed to be launched early next month, and it would be a great loss of sales if China market is disabled. And Proview Technology would be still in huge debt and may go into bankrupt soon. It would be rough for China too. There’re hundreds of Apple dealer and Apple accessories wholesalers in china like TVC-Mall whose ipad accessories would be illegal to sell if Apple lose the case. Plus, Apple has a really huge fan base in China who scolds Proview as a shameful robbery and support Apple. Some suggested Apple to use another trademark like “Applepad” to sell ipad and they believe a change of name would not change the greatness of ipad products.
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Apple, ipad, trademark, apple’s issue, apple lawsuit, ipad in china, ipad trademark,
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