It’s a lot harder to pursue a trademark case when you’re bankrupt. And that could soon be the scenario faced by Proview, the Taiwanese company that is asserting it — and not Apple — owns the iPad trademark in China.
The Associated Press reports Monday that Fubon Insurance, a Proview creditor based in Taiwan, is looking to collect on the $ 8.68 million it’s owed. The company has reportedly applied to have Proview declared bankrupt as a result. This twist comes while Proview is pressing its case both in the U.S. and China that when Apple acquired the iPad trademark in 2006 from Proview, it did not include the rights to the name in mainland China. Apple, as you might imagine, disputes this.
Proview’s lawyers don’t seem to be deterred by this development, telling the AP that bankruptcy won’t affect the case — though it can’t be comforting to know that you’re representing the case of a company in dire financial straits against one of the richest companies on the planet.
Though Apple lost one case in December on the matter, it is appealing that ruling.
Previously, Proview’s lawyers had reportedly said this whole issue could be taken care of for the neat sum of about $ 1.6 billion in an out-of-court settlement, which is a very unlikely outcome.
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