The Apple iPad
Chinese customs authorities have told Proview Technology it would be difficult to impose a ban on the import or export of the iPad because of the size of the market. It’s the latest move in the dispute between the Chinese company and Apple over who owns the iPad name.
That’s according to a report on Reuters this morning. Proview Technology and Apple have been engaged in a legal battle over which company owns the iPad trademark in mainland China.
Proview Technology is claiming ownership of the iPad trademark in China and it’s aiming to shop shipments of Apple’s tablet computer. In China, the iPad is manufactured by Foxconn Technology Group.
Yesterday, lawyers representing Proview Technology indicated that the company would be seeking a ban on the exports of the iPad from China. If the ban were to go ahead, it could potentially deal a massive blow to global sales of the US tech giant’s iPad.
Apple said it bought Proview Technology’s worldwide rights to the trademark in 10 different countries, including China.
Carolyn Wu, Apple’s Beijing-based spokeswoman, told Bloomberg yesterday that Proview Technology “refuses to honour their agreement with Apple in China. Our case is still pending in mainland China.”
