Apple is embroiled in a fierce legal battle with Proview over the rights of iPad trademark. Proview has been pursuing Apple in Chinese courts, apparently seeking a payment for damages to the tune of $2 billion. So far, it didn’t have much luck in China. Now, Proview has also lodged a case against Apple in the Superior Court of the State of California, bringing the battle to Apple’s home ground.
Apparently, Proview’s allegation rely entirely upon two points: one, that Apple does not have sufficient rights to use the iPad trademark in China. This is precisely the point upon which Proview is suing Apple in China and trying to have iPad sales banned in the country.
The second point that has been raised by Proview is that Apple dishonestly purchased the rights of iPad trademark for 10 countries and that it didn’t present the motives of the purchase as it should have. The truth is that Apple was able to purchase the rights through another company, IP Application Development, and paid a total of $55,000 for the purchase. Many have said that this is perfectly legal for a large company to make purchases through more obscure fronts so as not to be ripped of much money. However, Proview resents this and stated that Apple acted “with oppression, fraud and/or malice.”
On February 17th, Proview brought it’s battle to US where it lodged a case with the Superior Court of the State of California in Santa Clara County. The company is seeking damages through the case and asking the court to rescind the agreement so that Apple can no longer use the term ‘iPad‘ for it’s tablets.
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