Proview's $60M iPad payout called a 'thuggish' win over Apple

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
The $60 million settlement paid by Apple for use of the "iPad" name has been a hot topic in China, with a number of users online calling Proview's tactics a "thuggish" way to earn a payout.

China's widespread online reaction to the Proview settlement was captured on Monday by The Wall Street Journal, which noted the word "thug" was a common word choice among popular social networking sites in China like Sina Weibo. "Intellectual property awareness is something to be supported, but Proview is definitely guilty of playing the thug," user "Gosipier" wrote.

Other users joked that Proview's $60 million settlement could prompt others to begin registering various Apple-like "iProduct" names in hopes of getting their own eventual settlement. But Proview made its own product called the "iPAD," or Internet Personal Access Device," beginning in the late '90s.

Many users expressed excitement over the settlement, hoping that the resolution of the dispute between Apple and Proview could lead to the release of the latest third-generation iPad in China. The new iPad was granted regulatory approval by the government in China in late March, but it has yet to go on sale.

China has become a very important part of Apple's business in recent years, as the nation now leads the world in iOS device activations. Last year, the region was the second-largest market for Apple, behind only the U.S.

New iPad


The Guangdong High People's Court announced that Apple had reached an agreement with Proview to pay $60 million for the rights to the Chinese iPad trademark on Sunday. Earlier reports suggested Proview was seeking $400 million for the iPad trademark, and the company was said to have turned down a $16 million settlement offer from Apple.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 37
    hoomiehoomie Posts: 1member


    "But Proview made its own product called the "iPAD," or Internet Personal Access Device," beginning in the late '90s"... Yeah, and have you seen this product? It's a lame clone of the first, translucent iMacs! This should have been reason enough for Proview to forfeit any rights to the IPAD name, as well as to pay Apple retroactive damages for their blatant samsung-style copying...

  • Reply 2 of 37
    flabberflabber Posts: 100member


    I'm actually a little surprised about the general response of the Chinese. They're usually known as a quite conservative culture, so I assumed (wrongly) that they'd back Proview because of the high values they have to their own companies and such. Nice to hear that they also see Proview as some sort of patent-esk thug :)


     


    On the other hand, I'm also equally as surprised that Apple didn't backfired Proview's claim by stating that Proview's iPAD was a direct copy of the original translusent iMac... and then gétting 60mln dollars instead of having to pay it. Oh well, a quick finish might be good in this case. I bet Apple's busy enough fighting Motorola and Samsung at this moment :)

  • Reply 3 of 37
    rot'napplerot'napple Posts: 1,839member


    Proview is not getting the 60 Million.  It's creditors are finally going to get paid, courtesy Apple.  Then Proview can dissolve as the has been company that failed that it was/is!

  • Reply 4 of 37
    tcphototcphoto Posts: 65member
    I can only hope that Proviews debt is far more than the settlement.
  • Reply 5 of 37
    eyensteinnoeyensteinno Posts: 148member


    I wonder if M$ is a secret partner in Proview ??????

  • Reply 6 of 37
    curmudgeoncurmudgeon Posts: 483member


    So much effort - time and money, for such a lousy product name.

  • Reply 7 of 37
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    $400 million

    As for this payout, Apple could have paid that much in legal costs to keep up the fight. Plus the risk that Proview would find a way to get exports banned, cutting off world supplies isn't worth it. Apple will remake this money within the week on world iPad sales.
  • Reply 8 of 37
    eriamjheriamjh Posts: 1,630member


    I hope Apple delays payment so long it doesn't matter.

  • Reply 9 of 37
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    tcphoto wrote: »
    I can only hope that Proviews debt is far more than the settlement.

    The word is about $400 is needed to completely pay off their creditors. I firmly believe they have lobbying the courts to get a hefty payout from Apple, yet one that would end it quickly. I expect Proview to be liquidated in record time with Proview never being able to touch that money to "rebuild" their business.
  • Reply 10 of 37
    zoolookzoolook Posts: 657member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by flabber View Post


    I'm actually a little surprised about the general response of the Chinese. They're usually known as a quite conservative culture, so I assumed (wrongly) that they'd back Proview because of the high values they have to their own companies and such. Nice to hear that they also see Proview as some sort of patent-esk thug :)


     



    I wonder how much Proview contributes to the Chinese economy, as opposed to Apple? This was always going to go Apple's way, $60m is a rounding error on their monthly PnL. it won't save Proview, just give their creditors a little more return, which is what this was all about.

  • Reply 11 of 37
    sr2012sr2012 Posts: 896member
    Calling the Chinese "Thugs"? No, bad, bad Wall Street Journal. How dare you bigoted, xenophobic, white-middle-class.... Oh, wait. A Chinese said that. That's okay then. Because it's like using the N word when you're black. All cool. But be warned, nary a Westerner can say that, nor even anyone not living in China. Because you will be strongly whipped by the new cane of political correctness, now wielded mercilessly.
  • Reply 12 of 37
    markbyrnmarkbyrn Posts: 661member
    When Apple originally purchased the rights to the iPad name through the Taiwanese Proview Affiliate, did they not understand there is huge political divide between Taiwan and China? Assuming that China would honor a Taiwanese transaction has turned out to be a colossal $60 million+ mistake that Mr Sewell (Apple's General Counsel) should be taking responsibility for.
  • Reply 13 of 37
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    sr2012 wrote: »
    Calling the Chinese "Thugs"? No, bad, bad Wall Street Journal. How dare you bigoted, xenophobic, white-middle-class.... Oh, wait. A Chinese said that. That's okay then. Because it's like using the N word when you're black. All cool. But be warned, nary a Westerner can say that, nor even anyone not living in China.

    It's clearly noted that Proview is guilt of playing the thug. There was not calling all of China names. There was no jacking of the thread to say how all of China is bunch of lowlife pieces of shit. When you group all the people from a nation into a single category so you can disparage them you are being a bigot.
  • Reply 14 of 37
    popnfreshpopnfresh Posts: 139member


    Sure it was thuggish. And Apple's ploy to grab the iPad name by setting up a phony company was sleazy. Big deal. This is business, not a campfire sing-along. If I were Proview I would have held Apple's feet to the fire for this too.


     


    Anyone who says they wouldn't do the same if they were Proview's CEO is kidding themselves.

  • Reply 15 of 37
    kent909kent909 Posts: 731member
    Wow, this decision just sucked up .0005% of Apple's cash on hand. The end is near!
  • Reply 16 of 37
    sr2012sr2012 Posts: 896member
    solipsismx wrote: »
    It's clearly noted that Proview is guilt of playing the thug. There was not calling all of China names. There was no jacking of the thread to say how all of China is bunch of lowlife pieces of shit. When you group all the people from a nation into a single category so you can disparage them you are being a bigot.

    Nice, calling names, lowlife pieces of shit... Funny, I don't think I did that but seems like you're doing that here. Nice strawman.

    So Proview is the thug. One Proview? No courts? No government officials? Pity the poor courts and government, bullied by thuggish Proview.

    I did not make the whole of China to be the enemy, as I mentioned there are things going on there that are concerning. Things Chinese citizens are concerned of too ~ just read one of the non-state-sponsored media. Nor is Proview the only thug in the scheme of things here.

    Face it. People would rather be politically correct nowadays than face the actual "shit" out there in the real world outside their borders.

    As for jacking threads? I guess it would be better calling each other names and Android users weirdos and losers. Because that's so substantial.
  • Reply 17 of 37
    lochiaslochias Posts: 83member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Curmudgeon View Post


    So much effort - time and money, for such a lousy product name.



    The value of a product name is measured in dollars.  How lousy is it, exactly?

  • Reply 18 of 37
    No one heard of the ipad before the iPad. Unless Proview had a significant market presence of its product in China, this settlement is absurd.
  • Reply 19 of 37
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by EyeNsteinNo View Post


    I wonder if M$ is a secret partner in Proview ??????



     


     


    chinagangster1.jpg


     


     


    ChineseGangster4.jpg


     


     


     


    At this this point, it's no longer about business. It's all about "certain parties" in the relationship making out like bandits. This is how you "wind up the business" in certain parts of Europe and Asia. 


     


    Take as much as you can, call it a "fee" or a "percentage" for services rendered, and pay who you need to pay to shut up about it (or rather, wine, dine and otherwise entertain them, throw some a.ss their way, etc.) and discuss future deals.


     


    Done. 


     


    (Just don't leave your damn phone laying around.)  

  • Reply 20 of 37
    sr2012sr2012 Posts: 896member
    Quadra, that is a racist post (according to some...) and should be removed immediately, especially if I say it reminds me of one of my former bosses (I've had bosses of all spectrums of the rainbow over the past 10 years, but this guy does remind me of one in particular).

    And how dare you say deals are done like that, aren't you vilifying entire countries? Tsk Tsk.

    I definitely like the tattoos and what appears to be bike shorts at the beach... but the bulging gut kind of takes away from the badassery.

    Also nice is the piles of money and he couldn't even be bothered to get a proper sofa from Ikea or something.
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