Authorities removing iPads from stores in China, following trademark ruling

Government authorities and retailers have reportedly begun removing iPads from stores in China this morning, in apparent response to a ruling issued in December. According to China's Hebei Youth Daily, local representatives of the country's Administrations of Industry and Commerce (AIC) have started confiscating Apple's tablet from retail outlets, with some merchants are voluntarily removing the device from their storefronts as a pre-emptive measure. The scope of this operation remains unclear, though China.com reports that as of 5:00 PM yesterday, authorities had seized some 45 iPad 2s. Retailers who voluntarily removed their iPads apparently did so to protect their stocks from confiscation, and are reportedly continuing to sell the tablet behind the counter. These reports come nearly two months after Apple lost a trademark lawsuit against Proview Technology, which successfully defended its ownership of the iPad name within China. We're still waiting to see whether this is part of a larger nationwide campaign and Apple has yet to comment, but we'll update this post as soon as we hear more.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/13/appl ... e-lawsuit/

"Confiscating."

Shinbone wrote:"Confiscating."

Yes, I suspect there will suddenly be a lot more iPad's available on Taobao soon!

Haha imagine China suing anyone for intellectual property infringement


Puhleeeeese

^ Well, it's not actually China that is suing it is Proview Technology which legally owns the iPad brand name in China which they registered in 2001.

chingiskhan wrote:^ Well, it's not actually China that is suing it is Proview Technology which legally owns the iPad brand name in China which they registered in 2001.

Yes I know....but still

^ Well, yes. I am sure they cannot believe their luck it's like winning the lottery. It works both ways though. There's a very cheap local sports shoe brand called Fei Yue and I believe some French guys registered the name in France / Europe so even Fei Yue cannot sell there. Very sneaky!

1 billion is just change money for Apple, will see .. Hopefully they will not sell it under the table.

iPad? in China? Really? Everyone i see playing with one seems to call them iPadO...

Isn't it wonderful that Chinese officials take enforcement of IP rights so seriously?

rickettyrabbit wrote:Isn't it wonderful that Chinese officials take enforcement of IP rights so seriously?

Hence my earlier post wabbit

While the feds are falling over themselves to shutter web sites like a Three Stooges episode, China happily continues to feed a trillion dollar world wide counterfeit market

Usually, it's America goverment sezing Chinese goods, and now, Chine confiscating american contrafact.

Where we go .. hahaha

Matreshka wrote:Usually, it's America goverment sezing Chinese goods, and now, Chine confiscating american contrafact.

Where we go .. hahaha

No, usually it's not. And that's part of the problem.

tihZ_hO wrote:

rickettyrabbit wrote:Isn't it wonderful that Chinese officials take enforcement of IP rights so seriously?

Hence my earlier post wabbit

While the feds are falling over themselves to shutter web sites like a Three Stooges episode, China happily continues to feed a trillion dollar world wide counterfeit market

As I understand this one, Apple bought the rights to the name iPad from a Chinese company, but the name was actually owned by a parent company of the one which Apple paid for it.

These things happen. But usually, countries let them settle these trade disputes legally and reach settlements. AFAIK, this is one of those cases where it would have been better to let the parties settle than stop the market.

It makes me think that China is playing a game here - to bolster its status as a country that aggressively protects IP rights for patents filed within China (and we already know they've rigged the courts to ensure a 99% success rate for patents filed in China), and to keep the Chinese market open for a crap domestic imitator.

But of course, I'm excessively cynical.

Meanwhile, Chinese in North America tell me their relatives in China drool over the REAL iPads their migrant relatives use to face-time the folks back in China. Oh, well, they'll soon have the ChiPad to make up for it.

"Facetime."

iTV might be in trouble too

APPLE Inc may be in trouble if it wants to call a future smart TV the iTV.

At least three companies have laid claim to the iTV trademark recently.

Hisense, one of China's major home appliance makers, has launched the I'TV Mobile TV tablet computer.

In the UK, Independent Television, more commonly known as ITV, has warned Apple about using the trademark on any future TV products, according to media reports.

Meanwhile, the ITV trademark in China has been registered by China Telecom, an industry source told Shanghai Daily.

Analysts say Apple plans to launch a smart TV product by the end of this year.

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?i ... e=Business

I am guessing they won't use "iTV" as it is clearly already used in so many markets in some form or other. It's bound to happen eventually. You can't put "i" in front of everything.

Perhaps Apple should drop the stupid "i" branding altogether??? Why not just call things the "Apple" product? "Apple Phone, Apple Pad, Apple TV, etc."???

Shinbone wrote:"Facetime."

Apple Presses for Rights to iPad Name in China
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... 30904.html

"We are pretty firm on the ownership of this trademark, but we are open to talk about other issues such as compensation," said Xie Xianghui, an attorney for Proview Electronics.