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The legal battle between Proview Technology and Apple is raging in China. Both companies are locked in a dispute over the trademark rights of ‘iPad.’ Proview claims that it originally owns the rights for iPad trademark in China whereas Apple is of the opinion that it purchased the rights from Proview years ago. Now, the Intermediate People’s Court in Chinese city of Huizhou has ruled that distributors should immediately stop selling iPad devices in China.

This has been claimed by the lawyer who is representing Proview Technology. However, it is being hoped that this particular ruling will not have affects on iPad sales all over China, especially because Apple still has a pending appeal with the High Court in Guangdong.

Proview has filed multiple cases against Apple all over China and is looking forward to get $2 billion in compensation over allegations that Apple has used the iPad trademark in China without Proview’s permission. Apple, on the other hand, has stuck to it’s stance all the while that it purchased the rights from the trademark from Proview years ago and that these rights are also extended to China, something which Proview refuses to accept. Apple even has a case ruled in it’s favor over this issue by a Hong Kong court but apparently, Chinese courts are not that kind to the company.

According to Apple’s spokesperson, “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.”

Proview’s current strategy is to bar Apple’s sales China over and have Apple’s iPad devices seized from the resellers so that it can no longer continue the sales. However, Apple still has a shot at winning the legal battle by filing at higher Chinese courts.

Image courtesy Yutaka.

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