Proview takes court battle with Apple over Ipad name to Shanghai

CHINESE HARDWARE FIRM Shenzhen Proview Technology continues to harass Apple over the rights to the Ipad name and is persisting with its arguments that the fruit themed firm is at fault.

The debate is keeping lawyers in alligator shoes and sports cars and has claimed some Apple Ipads impromptu shelf clearances, and Proview shows no sign of letting up.

According to a report on the Associated Press the parties were in court in Shanghai yesterday and Proview's lawyer Xie Xianghui said that any deal signed is invalid.

"Apple has no right to sell iPads under that name," Xie said. "The agreement to sell the trademark is not valid under Chinese law," he said.

Apple countered that if anyone had broken the agreement it was Proview, adding that Proview isn't even using the Ipad name meaning that it can't really claim it as a trademark. It also questioned whether Proview had the cash to see the argument through, something that its rival said that it could do.

Apple has appealed against previous rulings already, and stands firm in its insistence that Proview is wrong.

"We bought Proview's worldwide rights to the Ipad trademark in 10 different countries several years ago," begins the cappuccino company's oft-repeated comment on the matter.

"Proview refuses to honour their agreement with Apple in China and a Hong Kong court has sided with Apple in this matter. Our case is still pending in mainland China." µ