A small victory for Apple in a Chinese trademark dispute came Thursday as a Shanghai court denied an attempt to halt Apple iPad sales in that city. The Shanghai court will instead play wait-and-see with a similar case playing out at a court in the southern city of Shenzhen.
The decision is the latest action in Apple's copyright showdown with Proview International Holdings' China-based affiliate.
[More from Mashable: Microsoft Accuses Motorola of Being a Patent Bully [VIDEO]]
Proview, which once bought the rights to the term "IPAD," or Internet Personal Access Device, is accusing Apple of infringing on the "iPad" name in multiple courts across China. Apple says it purchased the rights to sell its popular tablet as the "iPad" worldwide through a Proview affiliate company in Taiwan for $55,000. But Proview claims that deal doesn't apply to mainland China.
"Apple has no right to sell iPads under that name," said Proview's lawyer during Wednesday's proceedings, according to the Associated Press.
[More from Mashable: Apple, Google and Other App Sellers Cut Privacy Deal with California]
Apple says that Proview, which is struggling economically, hasn't produced or marketed its "IPAD" device in the recent past and is financially incapable of doing so, voiding its hold on the copyright. Apple spokeswoman Carolyn Wu told Reuters that the company purchased the right to use the iPad name from Proview in 2009, and Proview "refuses to honor their agreement with Apple."
After denying Proview's request to stop iPad sales, the Shanghai court agreed to a request from Apple to put the brakes on that particular case until another court in Shenzhen hears an appeal of a ruling that was in Proview's favor. That hearing is expected to take place on Feb. 29.
A separate court in Hong Kong, which has a legal system separate from the rest of China, has already ruled in favor of Apple.
China is a hugely important marketplace for Apple. Its iPad is already the dominant player in the country's tablet market, making up over 70 percent of tablet sales countrywide.
Despite its financial success in China, the U.S.-based tech company has a stormy relationship with the country. Apple has been criticized by human rights groups and others for allegedly poor working conditions at factories that produce components for its iPad and other devices.
Do you think Apple should be allowed to use the iPad name in China? Sound off in the comments below.
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, tbradford
This story originally published on Mashable here.
1 comment