BEIJING — An obscure Chinese company’s battle with Apple Inc. over who has rights to the iPad name took another unlikely turn after authorities in northeastern China seized dozens of the Apple tablets for trademark infringement, an attorney for the company said.
The seizures in Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei province, were in response to a complaint filed by Proview Technology, a company based in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen that has stymied Apple’s bid to secure the trademark in China for its hot-selling device.
In December, a court in Shenzhen unexpectedly rejected a lawsuit by Apple claiming it was the rightful holder of the iPad name.
Since then, Proview Technology has filed complaints in 20 cities, urging authorities to prohibit the U.S. tech giant from selling or marketing its device. The company also has filed suits against Apple and separate retailers in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Huizhou.
“You’ll likely see more and more actions across the country,” said Xie Xianghui, a lawyer for Proview Technology. “Apple did not follow Chinese law, so we’re confident the authorities will side with us.” Los Angeles Times
