What’s in a Name?

To Apple, the name of its popular tablet computer is worth $60 Million. At least that’s what Apple, Inc. has agreed to pay Proview Technology (Shenzhen) to settle a dispute over the name iPad. Proview Technology (Shenzhen), a unit of Hong Kong-listed Proview International Holdings Ltd., had brought suit against Apple in China alleging trademark infringement and requesting the court to order re-sellers to remove all iPads from their shelves. Apple had claimed that it bought ownership of the mark iPad from Proview Technology. However, the Chinese court ruled that Proview Technology (Shenzhen) owned the mark in China, having registered the mark iPad in 2001 in China.

The settlement comes as a victory for both parties. For Apple, the suit could have resulted in the loss of billions of dollars in sales, as the iPad controls the tablet computer market in China. To date, Apple has sold more than 6 million iPads in China, representing a large portion of its global sales.

Source: http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/02/12522789-apple-pays-60m-to-settle-ipad-dispute-in-china?lite

For more information, please visit our trademark service page.

Klemchuk LLP is an Intellectual Property (IP), Technology, Internet, and Business law firm located in Dallas, TX.  The firm offers comprehensive legal services including litigation and enforcement of all forms of IP as well as registration and licensing of patents, trademarks, trade dress, and copyrights.  The firm also provides a wide range of technology, Internet, e-commerce, and business services including business planning, formation, and financing, mergers and acquisitions, business litigation, data privacy, and domain name dispute resolution.  Additional information about the IP law firm and its IP law attorneys may be found at www.klemchuk.com.

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