Hong Kong Court Sides With Apple, Dismisses Evidence In Proview Case

Proviews bid to sue Apple for $400 million just hit a stumbling block.

Proview’s legal battle against Apple over the use of the “iPad” trademark continues to drag on, but things haven’t quite gone to plan for the Chinese company. A Hong Kong court has sided with Apple and agreed that some of Proview’s evidence should be excluded from the case after it failed to comply with the court’s instructions. Proview is yet to decide whether it will appeal against the decision, but with debts of around $400 million, you can bet the company will continue to push for every penny it can get.

The dispute, which began back in 2011, is over Apple’s use of the “iPad” name. The Cupertino company purchased the trademark from Proview’s Taiwanese subsidiary for around $55,000, but its Shenzhen-based arm later agued that it did not formally transfer the trademarks. Apple then sued Proview for conspiring to breach the deal in an effort to secure compensation.

A Chinese court has already ruled against Apple and deemed its earlier deal with Proview as invalid. The Cupertino company reported offered to pay ¥100 million (approx. $16 million) earlier this month, but with $400 million in debts to clear, it just wasn’t enough for Proview and Apple’s offer was declined.

• Source Shanghai Daily
  
• Via Macworld

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