Well now as the whole world now knows, Apple unveiled the ‘New iPad’ yesterday with the usual hype that is expected with a new Apple device unveiling and set to become available as of the 16th of this month; however whether the ‘New iPad’ makes it over in China seems to be another matter, as we all know there is a bit of a trademark battle going on over there.
I’m sure you know that in China, Proview has taken a legal challenge to Apple, saying they own the iPad trademark in China whilst Apple says otherwise, and this battle has caused some Chinese vendors to halt offering the Apple iPad.
Of course the legal wrangling between Proview and Apple continues with some courts siding with Proview whilst others side with Apple.
However according to the guys over at Pocket Now, by way of China Daily, Proview has now called for a ban on the New iPad in China and has called on the country’s custom authorities to halt the export and import of the iPad.
A lawyer representing the bankrupt company, Xie Xianghui says that they are fully prepared and the petition specifically targets the Apple iPad 3 (read New iPad.)
However, things are getting a bit more complicated as the creditors of the bankrupt Proview have also chimed in claiming that they and not Proview actually own the iPad trademark, and that the Chinese has no right to sell it to Apple.
Apparently the New iPad is set to become available in Hong Kong at the same time as in the US and UK, and in mainland China shortly after, but with all these legal shenanigans still going on, the New iPad’s debut in China may be a way off yet.