Apple Pays Proview $60Mn Settling China iPad Name Dispute, Sued By Another Company

Apple has settled its trademark spat with Chinese company Shenzen Proview Technology over the use of the iPad name in China for a sum of $60 million. However, as this Apple legal saga in China ends, another company is suing the iPhone-maker in the country.

First, let’s look at the Proview settlement. “The iPad dispute resolution is ended. Apple Inc. has transferred $60 million to the account of the Guangdong High Court as requested in the mediation letter,” as spokesperson for the Guangdong High People’s Court has said in the statement.

Proview sued Apple claiming it owned the iPad name in China. Apple shot back at the lawsuit previously saying that they have purchased the right to the name iPad from Proview. The Chinese company said that Apple did indeed purchase the iPad name from them but that right did not include China.

China is a hot emerging market at the moment. Tech giants including Apple and its biggest smartphone and tablet rival – South Korea’s Samsung Electronics – are all aiming to get a better foothold in the country as it continues to consume electronics gadgets, especially those from overseas established brands.

The settlement between Apple and Proview, which was reached through court-assisted mediation, means that Apple now can sell its tablets in Mainland China without any unnecessary encumbrance.

However, it may have a hard time selling the iPhone if another Chinese company succeeds with its legal battle against the Cupertino, California-based consumer electronics powerhouse.

Last week, it came to our attention that Zhizhen Network Technology Co Ltd has filed a suit against Apple targeting Siri, the voice-activated virtual assistant of the Apple iPhone 4S.

Zhizhen argues that Apple is violating patents it owns in China. The company makes Xiao i Robot, a voice technology software used in electronics devices. The patent in question is related to “a type of instant messaging chat robot system.” The patent was filed for on August 2004 and was granted by the Chinese patents office in February 2006.

According to China Daily, Zhizhen Chairman Yuan Hui said Zhizhen sent a legal notice to Apple in May. However, Apple did not respond. The company filed a suit in Shanghai in June 21 and in June 26, the court accepted the lawsuit.

“We have 100 million users in China, and many companies are using our product,” the chairman added. According to him, they just want Apple to stop violating their patents.

What do you think about this latest lawsuit against Apple in China? Tell us in the comments section below.

Images 1 & 2  from mattbuchanan & Philip Jägenstedt on Flickr (Creative Commons)

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