Bankrupt Chinese company still angling for an iPad ban in Shanghai

Bankrupt Chinese firm Proview, which once held the iPad trademark, is now fighting in Chinese courts to get the iPad banned in Shanghai.

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Yes, even after a Chinese judge ruled that Apple rightfully held the trademark. Yes, even after Apple threatened to sue Proview for defamation.

Today, Reuters is reporting that Proview’s lawyers are still appealing for a local court to ban iPad sales in Shanghai, one of Apple’s most important markets in China.

For the past month or so, Proview has been campaigning hard against the iPad manufacturer. A couple of weeks ago, the company brought a lawsuit against Apple, claiming the iPad manufacturer didn’t have the rights to the term “iPad” in China.

In fact, Proview had owned the iPad trademark. Although a Taiwanese branch of the company sold Apple the rights to the name more than a decade ago, the Proview parent company said that transaction was legally invalid.

The judge in that case ruled in favor of Apple, stating that Proview “attempted to exploit the situation as a business opportunity for the Proview Group by seeking an amount of $10,000,000 from Apple.”

Apple in turn followed up with a strongly worded letter threatening further legal action, saying, “Making misrepresentations in the press to inflame the situation is adversely affecting the interests of the parties in seeking any resolution of the matter.”

Now, Proview’s attorneys are continuing their arguments in Shanghai Pudong New Area People’s Court, which is slated to issue its decision on the matter soon. Apple will have the opportunity to appeal.

In a statement to the court, a lawyer on Apple’s side of the case said, “Proview has no product, no markets, no customers” and no suppliers. It has nothing… The ban, if executed, would not only hurt Apple sales but it would also hurt China’s national interest.”

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Image courtesy of Stuart Jenner, Shutterstock