Apple's iPad 3 became a target in an ongoing trademark
dispute in China, after a small Chinese company filed for a customs ban with
local authorities to stop the import and export of the tablet.
If request succeeds, it could affect Apple’s global
sales as China is a major manufacturing base for the company as well as its fastest-growing
market. Local media reported that in Shijiazhuang, one of the cities in mainland China, iPads have already been seized. However, the ban is unlikely to affect the export as Apple has the
right to manufacture its products in China and it owns the iPad trademark in
other countries.
The request with the country's custom offices follows a
long-running dispute between Apple and display vendor Proview over ownership of
the iPad name. Last year Proview won an initial judgement in Shenzhen court, which Apple has appealed against. The firm claims it bought Proview’s worldwide
rights to the iPad trademark in ten countries but the Chinese firm refused to honour the
agreement. Apple bought rights to the name from Proview Taipei, a Taiwan
company affiliated with Proview, but the mainland company claims it still owns
the name in China. Hong Kong court made a decision in favour of Apple but the
case is still pending in mainland China.
Ma Dongxiao, a lawyer for Proview, announced that company’s goal
is to ban Apple’s next version of the iPad, expected to be released in March. The firm, which has filed for bankruptcy, is pressuring Apple
to buy the iPad trademark but it is believed that the sum it is asking for
is too high.
The lack of settlement could create a major problem for Apple
as it would have major damages to pay for the past as well as future iPad sales.
No comments:
Post a Comment