Proview says no settlement negotiations yet with Apple over iPad trademark
Proview's lawyer has revealed that the company is still hoping Apple will get in contact to begin out-of-court negotiations for a settlement in the ongoing legal disagreement over ownership of the Chinese iPad trademark.
The three-judge panel for the Higher People's Court of Guangdong asked Proview and Apple whether they wished to settle during a hearing on Thursday, but, according to Roger Xie, Proview's lawyer, Apple has yet to come to the table.
“Up to now, we didn’t have any formal negotiations with Apple,” Xie said in an interview. “I hope they will positively contact us and make an appointment with us about formal negotiations out of court. It would be useful.”
Earlier this week, representatives for Apple and Proview exchanged arguments in court. Apple maintains that it did in fact purchase the rights to the Chinese "iPad" trademark and that Proview refuses to uphold its end of the bargain. Proview claims that the deal was never properly made, as it argues that representatives from its Shenzhen subsidiary, which controls the mark, were not present when the agreement was signed.
Proview has set its hopes on a win against Apple to help keep it afloat. The company was at one point a prominent monitor maker, but it has struggled in recent years and is in danger of being delisted from the Hong Kong stock exchange. Various reports suggest Proview is looking for as much as $2 billion in damages from Apple.
A Shanghai court sided in favor of Apple last week. However, a lower court ruling from last November came down on Proview's side.
Apple has threatened Proview with a defamation countersuit, alleging that the company's founder has been making inaccurate statements to the press. For its part, Proview has filed a U.S. complaint against Apple accusing the company of fraud and unfair competition. The company alleges that Apple tricked Proview by using a front company to purchase the mark under "false pretext."
Some officials in China have already begun acting on earlier rulings in favor of Proview. A small number of iPad units have been seized by local officials, though the confiscations do not appear to be widespread.
Chinese officials inspect iPad 2 units after confiscating them. | Credit: Hebei Youth Daily
The lawsuit has high stakes for Apple, as iPad sales are growing rapidly in China. The Cupertino, Calif., company is also gearing up to unveil a third-generation iPad at a media event next week. Depending on how Apple fares in court against Proview, the next-gen iPad could potentially be blocked from sale in the country.
[ View article on AppleInsider ]
Comments
"Ah, see this, where it says 'Display Model'? We can't resell them now. People won't buy display models because they'll automatically think they were stolen."
"But… we did steal them."
"Yes, but Americans are more hesitant to buy stolen products than you'd think."
Also, see how the security thing is still on it and the cable dangles down and abruptly cuts off? They just tore it right off the table, didn't they?
P“Up to now, we didn’t have any formal negotiations with Apple,” Xie said in an interview. “I hope they will positively contact us and make an appointment with us about formal negotiations out of court. It would be useful."
Except for the formal negotiations where you sold the iPad trademark to Apple.
Apple should do what Prince did during his legal battles and call the thing The Tablet formally known as the iPad.
How about 'iPad' in Chinese? I seriously wonder if Proview thought to patent that.
This is getting ridiculous and AI, please stop saying that iPad sales might be halted altogether, that is never going to happen. Apple will change the name of their product if that was ever a possibility.
I guess one could change it to ePad.
Apple should do what Prince did during his legal battles and call the thing The Tablet formally known as the iPad.
Hey iTablet. Good one.
I wouldn't negotiate a thing, I would take it to court and if I lost I would tell Proview that I hope they choke on the name and they can keep it. I'd then utilize a secondary name that I had cleverly gotten ready.
How about eYePad
How about 'iPad' in Chinese? I seriously wonder if Proview thought to patent that.
I read that there are some 60 different versions of the name Facebook registered in China in both English and Chinese, so chances are very good that somebody already has. It just may not be Proview.
Seems at every step, Proview is throwing around that it is open to negotiations. You only mention it this many times if you have a losing hand. I hope that Apple chokes this little good for nothing, dead monitor company to death, and the return lawsuits go beyond that of the corporate protections.
Interesting, "throwing around" is a good term, similar to monkeys and certain biological matter.
Also, see how the security thing is still on it and the cable dangles down and abruptly cuts off? They just tore it right off the table, didn't they?
Apple should do what Prince did during his legal battles and call the thing The Tablet formally known as the iPad.
hahahahah.
or something like
iPad
this use to be named
Interesting, "throwing around" is a good term, similar to monkeys and certain biological matter.
What makes this so really, really funny is how it is stated so politely! I never heard anything so droll!
"Certain biological matter"! You sound like one of those wiseguys on a TV cop show!
Seems at every step, Proview is throwing around that it is open to negotiations. You only mention it this many times if you have a losing hand. I hope that Apple chokes this little good for nothing, dead monitor company to death, and the return lawsuits go beyond that of the corporate protections.
Apple has a mountain of cash, so high it can be seen from China. It's no surprise that it might attract some extortionists like Proview. For Proview, it's 2 Billion or nothing since the company goes broke with anything less. Apple will never pay that amount, and Proview's creditors are running out of patience. The clock is ticking and it's not Proview's friend.
Apple will change the name of their product if that was ever a possibility.
Has never happened before, unlikely to happen now (or ever).