In an intense hearing on Wednesday, Apple defended its legal right to use the iPad trademark in China against a struggling company, Shenzhen Proview Technology, which denies it sold the mainland China rights to the tablet’s name. Proview’s lawyer Xie Xianghui argued that the sale of the iPad trademark to Apple Inc. by Proview’s Taiwan affiliate in 2009 was invalid. Other lawyers for the company argued that the success of the iPad had prevented Proview’s product from having success in China. Apple countered the argument stating that the iPad began selling in 2010, years after Proview introduced its product in 2000.
Xie said, “Apple has no right to sell iPads under that name.” Apple said Proview violated the sales contract by failing to transfer the trademark rights in mainland China and also argues the Chinese LCD maker has not marketed or sold its own “IPAD,” or Internet Personal Access Device for years, which invalidates its claim to the trademark. Proview is suing and requesting that Apple halts selling the iPad in China under that name. iPads have been extracted from shelves in some Chinese cities, but there has been no sign of national action. There is no announcement for a date on further hearings or judgment.
