“A Chinese court is mediating between Apple Inc. and the Chinese company challenging its right to use the iPad trademark, seeking to get the companies to settle an awkward standoff over the issue,” Elaine Kurtenbach reports for The Associated Press.
“The Guangdong High Court in southern China, is seeking to arrange a settlement, said Ma Dongxiao, a lawyer for Proview Electronics Co. The court on Feb. 29 began hearing Apple’s appeal of lower court ruling that favored Proview in the trademark dispute,” Kurtenbach reports. “‘It is likely that we will settle out of court. The Guangdong High Court is helping to arrange it and the court also expects to do so,’ Ma said Monday.”
Kurtenbach reports, “Proview, a financially troubled maker of computer displays and LED lights, says it registered the iPad trademark more than a decade ago. Apple says Proview sold it worldwide rights to the iPad trademark in 2009, though the registration was never transferred for China. ‘Actually Proview always expected to settle out of court from the beginning,'” Ma said. ‘I don’t know if Apple has changed its attitude, but I believe that the key point now is the price.'”
Read more in the full article here.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook meets with Vice Premier of China; Proview says ‘political public relations campaign’ – March 28, 2012
Apple: Proview is lying about iPad trademark in China to stave off creditors – March 22, 2012
Major creditor seeks liquidation of Chinese iPad trademark challenger Proview – March 5, 2012
Proview lawyer hopes Apple makes contact for iPad trademark settlement – March 1, 2012
China higher court hears Apple’s iPad trademark appeal – February 29, 2012
Apple iPad trademark case in Shanghai suspended; Proview injunction rejected – February 24, 2012
Proview sues Apple in the US, mass hilarity ensues – February 24, 2012
Proview files lawsuit in California against Apple over iPad trademark – February 24, 2012
Chinese court says Apple can continue selling iPads in Shanghai – February 23, 2012
Seriously, and I keep on harping the same point: move on from the ‘i’ titles. It’s gimmicky, hipster friendly and from a bygone era. Just put Apple (either the word or the great symbol) in front of your new devices and that only strengthens your original brand. No one else can have Apple()Pad for example. Can we please move away from all these silly distractions and continue with the innovation game?
No, it’s a very string brand and it’s associated with Apple. It’s too bad they couldn’t just own the “i” brand since they started it.
Agree
Don’t settle. If court rules for slopes, change the name for China.
Yep, i expect Apple to settle for ProView paying their court costs and not one penny less.
If it doesn’t go well in China, Apple can change the name just for China purposes and call it “Pad that starts with an i”
how about this: The Tablet Formerly Known As iPad
Again, of course the court wants them to settle through mediation, that way the Chinese government won’t have to actually make a decision and set a precedent.
They need to grow a pair, and make a ruling.
What will happen if Apple says mediation failed, and wants to go to court? Will the courts accommodate them?
Apple take a hint move some of your operations out of China, for your own long term protection, the Chinese government is looking for a kickback.
This is such BS:
Proview, blahblahblah, says it registered the iPad trademark more than a decade ago. Apple says Proview sold it worldwide rights to the iPad trademark in 2009, though the registration was never transferred for China.
Yes it was and that fact is BLATANT in the sales contract SIGNED by ProView in 2009 and proven to be VALID in China’s own Hong Kong court in June, 2011. Proview lost. It’s over.
The court on Feb. 29 began hearing Apple’s appeal of lower court ruling that favored Proview in the trademark dispute
That ‘lower court ruling’ is INVALID and should be thrown out of court. The Hong Kong ruling takes precedent because the Hong Kong court is SPECIFICALLY listed in the sales contract as the jurisdiction for all disputes. It’s over.
Ma said. ‘I don’t know if Apple has changed its attitude, but I believe that the key point now is the price.’
That is total FICTION from a desperate parasite. Apple need do NOTHING. It’s over.
EVERYTHING you are hearing now is either lies from Proview or China proving that they are a Criminal Nation that has no comprehension of an actual, honest justice system. Whether China’s court system likes it or not, the Hong Kong court ruling is valid in ALL of China and the case is closed.
Kickback?
Stop the presses! This just in from Reuters:
http://reut.rs/JnhJHp
“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.