“A Chinese firm involved in a trademark row with Apple over the iPad name is preparing for talks with the U.S. technology giant, the Chinese firm’s lawyer said Tuesday, raising hopes for a settlement,” AFP reports.
“Electronics firm Proview Technology (Shenzhen) says it owns the Chinese rights to the “iPad” trademark and has sought to block sales of Apple’s iconic tablet computer in China as well as imports and exports of the device,” AFP reports. “Apple last year took the firm to a Chinese court, claiming trademark infringement, but the court ruled the U.S. company lacked “supporting facts and evidence” for its claim.”
AFP reports, “Apple is now appealing the case but debt-laden Proview, which makes computer monitors, has since itself filed trademark lawsuits against Apple in China and is threatening to sue the technology giant in the United States for US$2 billion. ‘We are now preparing for negotiations,’ Proview’s lawyer, Xie Xianghui, told AFP. ‘The court cases will continue until we reach an agreement.’ …Proview Technology (Shenzhen) chief executive Yang Rongshan last week denied he was trying to get compensation from Apple to bail out his cash-strapped company.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Extortion.
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Apple’s iPad trademark battle moves to Shanghai – February 21, 2012
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Suing Apple in America? Really? Morons!
No mention of that.
“Proview, which makes computer monitors, has since itself filed trademark lawsuits against Apple in China and is threatening to sue the technology giant in the United States for US$2 billion.”
Missed it. My bad.
They want to settle now because they know that the high court will eventually side with Apple. Why? Because tens of thousands of jobs are at stake. And for what? A bankrupt company that used the iPad name on an old iMac clone which Apple should sue them for. What would Proview gain the Chinese? Nothing!
The high court will side with Apple because they’ve got proof that ProView did indeed sell the rights to the name, and it’s owner is a lying piece of shit trying to milk some ill-gotten gains from his failed company.
They want to settle now because they know that the high court will eventually side with Apple.
The Hong Kong court already sided with Apple. Hong Kong is designated in the sales contract with Proview as the ONLY jurisdiction where cases regarding the contract can be heard. Proview already lost. Apple already won. It’s over. Everything else is merely criminal behavior on the part of Proview and China’s corrupt court system. Just laugh at them all. 😆
I think Apple takes a really hardline with ProView and makes them apologize and pay all legal fees.
“…debt-laden Proview”
Proview is desperate. Even if they lose, they don’t lose because you are highly unlikely to collect a judgment from a bankrupt company. It wouldn’t surprise me if Samsung or Motorola or some other company decides to bankroll Proview to continue the lawsuit just to hassle Apple.
+1 and quite likely IMHO. Nice observation.
The settlement should go about as well as the one in the Godfather.
A woman quoting The Godfather. I’m in love.
Come on Apple, simply tell Chinese Govt that if they side with this extortion attempt, you will move all production to korea.
Korea? Hell no! Brazil & elsewhere? Yes!
How about Taiwan?
Sounds like a positioning statement to me.
Let me recommend a preparatory regimen for Proview’s executives: stretch every morning for a half hour until you can wrap both hands firmly around your ankles.
I am amazed that Google or motorola has not bought Proview already and raised the ante. Apple better hustle before that happens. If Google isn’t already behind this suit, that is.
After years of doing business with China’s private sectors, and government, I would like to offer my opinion in this matter. No China court decisions are final especially “attention-getting” one like “Proview vs. Apple, Inc.” until high ranking Chinese Communist party members say so.
The mere fact that there are no noticeable high ranking Chinese Communist official action taken against Apple is a really good sign even some low level courts sided with Proview.
My take on this matter is that Chinese officials are in observation mode, they are watching Apple’s action very closely. As long as Apple don’t do anything that let Chinese Government “lose face”, I can pretty much guarantee you Proview will cease to exist pretty soon.
… my 2 cents…
2 cents is all that Apple should give Proview.
“China’s Proview preparing for Apple iPad trademark settlement talks”
read: “We are about to learn the Chinese word for ‘extortion'”.
Extortionist agrees to discuss their blackmail terms with Apple. When are the authorities going to charge Proview with extortion and racketeering? This situation is rediculous and Apple should not cave to this thief’s demands.
Give Proview a few sycees.
China mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom.. all have tie to government. They can still milk of Apple’s iPad and is product until Apple is dry(hope not). What can those company milk of Proview? Proview will be non-issue.
Its not extortion
Law may not be moral but it’s legal
It is extortion to sell the rights to something and then demand more money for something you already sold. Apple owns the rights to the iPad name and proved it in Hong Kong where this sale took place signed by the owner of Proview. The other courts are mistaken and likely paid off.
Law may not be moral but it’s legal
And let’s be clear: Only the Hong Kong court was designated in Apple’s sales contract with Proview as being able to hear court cases regarding the contract. Hong Kong ruled. Proview lost. All these other so-called ‘legal proceedings’ by Proview are illegal and further in breach of contract.
IOW: There is nothing legal about Proview’s current behavior. There is only one word for Proview: Criminal. The same word applies to all of the court jurisdictions outside Hong Kong hearing Proview’s case: Criminal.
The time for settlement was before the Hong Kong courted ruled in Apple’s favor against Proview. All of these pitiful Proview cases against Apple outside of Hong Kong are illegal and irrelevant. There is no reason for Apple to do anything with Proview but enforce the breach of contract judgement against them and sue their little bankrupt butts off. And why bother with even that?