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Proview sues Apple in US over iPad trademark

Proview sues Apple in US over iPad trademark

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Apple's been embroiled in an overseas legal tussle with Proview Electronics over the iPad trademark for the past two years, but now the battle is coming to the US — WSJ reports that Proview has filed a lawsuit against Apple in a US superior court in California over the iPad label.

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iPad 1 stock
iPad 1 stock

Apple's been embroiled in an overseas legal tussle with Proview Electronics over the iPad trademark for the past two years, but now the battle is coming to the US — WSJ reports that Proview has filed a lawsuit against Apple in a US superior court in California over the iPad label. Proview claims that Apple committed fraud when it used a subsidiary called IP Application Development Ltd. to purchase the trademark in 2009 for £35,000, and that it didn't explain the true purpose behind the acquisition. So far Apple and Proview have split legal decisions over the matter: WSJ reported that in July, 2011 a Hong Kong court validated Apple's purchase of the iPad label, but in December, Apple lost an appeal in a Chinese court. Since the latest decision, Proview has wielded Chinese counterfeit laws to demand the seizure of iPads and an export ban in the country.

An Apple spokesperson tells WSJ that it rightfully purchased the iPad name from Proview, and that the company "refuses to honor their agreement with Apple in China." It's not yet clear why Proview would bring the suit to a US court, but as a company with deep debts and financial troubles, it seems to be using every available legal channel to force a large settlement from Apple.