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Apple being sued for millions in China over iPad

Posted February. 06, 2012 22:44,   

한국어

Apple is caught in an iPad trademark dispute with China. Chinese media said Monday that the industry and commerce bureau in Beijing’s Xicheng district is investigating if Apple violated a trademark at the request of the Shenzen-based Proview Technology.

In 2000, Taipei Proview Technology registered an iPad trademark in Taiwan and Europe, and Apple bought it in 2006 for 55,258 U.S. dollars. Proview, however, had been using iPad in its products and did not accept its parent company’s contract.

In response, Apple sued Shenzhen for a trademark violation, but the Shenzhen Municipal Intermediate People`s Court ruled against Apple in December last year. The court said Apple should go through a trademark transfer process in China to use the trademark. Shenzhen also filed a suit against Apple in October last year worth 1.2 billion dollars.

Chinese media said that when the investigation ends, Apple will face hundreds of billions of dollars in fines, and if Shenzhen does not sell its trademark, then Apple can no longer use the iPad in China.



kej09@donga.com