Apple to continue fight for iPad rights

TRADEMARK   APPLE   LEGAL

Shanghai - Apple's fight to regain trademark rights to the iPad in China moved to Shanghai yesterday in what is shaping up as a bitter legal battle for the iPad name.

The dispute comes after Chinese company Shenzhen Proview claimed ownership of the iPad name in China. A Shenzhen court ruled in its favour last December and Proview has since successfully lobbied some retail outlets to halt sales of the popular tablet device.

Apple, however said it purchased rights to the name in China from Proview in 2009. The technology giant has appealed against the Shenzhen judgment.

At a preliminary hearing at the Shanghai Pudong New District People's Court yesterday, lawyers for Proview, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed Proview International Holdings, asked the court to order Apple's iPad tablet computers to be pulled off the shelves in Shanghai stores pending the outcome of the suit.

The Associated Press reported the hearing judge did not reach a decision and had not set a date for a future hearing or judgment. The Guangdong High Court will hold a hearing on the issue on 29 February.

Earlier Apple said it purchased Proview's worldwide rights to the iPad trademark in 10 different countries several years ago. But Proview has maintained that Apple did not obtain all the right in China, claiming its Shenzhen subsidiary owned that privilege. 

Apple stores in Shanghai are among the busiest Apple in the world and continue to sell the iPad.

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