A Chinese company seeks to ban iPad exports from China, accusing Apple Inc. of violating its rights to the iPad name. This action enables local authorities to seize the gadgets.
haProview Technology is petitioning Chinese Customs to block all import and exports of Apple iPads.
There have been media reports that authorities in several Chinese cities have already ordered retailers to stop selling iPads because of the dispute.
On Monday investigators in Shijiazhuang, southwest of Beijing, started seizing iPads at the request of a Chinese owner of the trademark.
The row comes as a blow to Apple which is preparing to unveil its third version of the iPad tablet in early March.
However big and important for Apple the Chinese market might be, practically all the company?s products are produced in China, making the multinational a hostage of legal proceedings in the country.
Proview Technology?s lawyers are seeking up to 10 billion yuan ($1.6 billion) as compensation for trademark infringement. They say Apple Inc is not directly in talks with Proview to settle the case.
Late last year Apple lost a case to Proview Technology in a Shijiazhuang court, which named Proview the owner of iPad trademark.
A court in Hong Kong, on the other hand, sided with Apple in a similar case.
http://rt.com/news/apple-china-ipad-legal-377/
haProview Technology is petitioning Chinese Customs to block all import and exports of Apple iPads.
There have been media reports that authorities in several Chinese cities have already ordered retailers to stop selling iPads because of the dispute.
On Monday investigators in Shijiazhuang, southwest of Beijing, started seizing iPads at the request of a Chinese owner of the trademark.
The row comes as a blow to Apple which is preparing to unveil its third version of the iPad tablet in early March.
However big and important for Apple the Chinese market might be, practically all the company?s products are produced in China, making the multinational a hostage of legal proceedings in the country.
Proview Technology?s lawyers are seeking up to 10 billion yuan ($1.6 billion) as compensation for trademark infringement. They say Apple Inc is not directly in talks with Proview to settle the case.
Late last year Apple lost a case to Proview Technology in a Shijiazhuang court, which named Proview the owner of iPad trademark.
A court in Hong Kong, on the other hand, sided with Apple in a similar case.
http://rt.com/news/apple-china-ipad-legal-377/
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