The Associated Press has reported that Proview International has issued a statement through their attorneys that the Intermediate People’s Court in Huizhou issued ruling banning distributors from selling iPads in China.
This bizarre ruling comes of a claim that Proview own the rights to the name ‘iPad’ in China. They further go on to say that Apple is going against their trademark by selling the iPads in the country. Surprise, surprise. The one time a trademark dispute has actually gone in favor of those filing it, it turns out to be a local Chinese firm.
In response to the lawsuit, Apple spokeswoman Carolyn Wu said, “We bought Proview’s worldwide rights to the iPad trademark in 10 different countries several years ago. Proview refuses to honor their agreement with Apple in China and a Hong Kong court has sided with Apple in this matter.”
Coupled with the lawsuit filed in China, speculation has been around that Proview may even file a claim for $2 billion in the United States, for damages over the trademark violation. According to the Associated Press, iPad were still being sold at various retail outlets across China, despite the ruling.
