Apple can't call an iPad an iPad in China, says court.

Wow $1.6 billion. I remember a case in China few years ago when a peasant found a 3cm bug in a bottle of Sprite. He sued Coca-Cola for 4 rmb ($0.64). The court ruled in his favor but only awarded him 2.05 rmb.<p>I wonder if this is a change in heart in how much the Chinese courts will be awarding in future cases.

We don't really have the whole story here.<p>If you read the news story here from China: <a href="http://topics.scmp.com/news/china-business-watch/article/Apple-faces-fight-or-big-payout" rel="nofollow">http://topics.scmp.com/news/china-business-watch/article/App...</a><p>&#62; The Hong Kong court found that Apple and IP Application, while drawing up the agreement for that sale, discovered the two mainland iPad trademarks were not owned by Taipei-based Proview Electronics as they were led to believe, but by Proview Technology.<p>&#62; Apple said the defendants, while acknowledging the mistake, refused to rectify the matter and asked Apple to pay US$10 million for the two trademarks. Apple and IP began their action against the Proview group on May 20 last year.<p>All of this points that Apple didn't exactly do this intentionally.

Although I don't know if it's fair to tar them all with the same brush, I find it ironic that a Chinese company would cry foul on trademarks.

For some bizarre reason this made me smile.

I think it's extremely unlikely Apple would sell the iPad under any other name. The 'brand' is too strong—and is probably worth $1.6b to them.

<i>“Their copyright infringement is very clear.”</i><p>Wrong translation, wrong statement or different laws?<p>Other than that: Boring.

I used to own a Proview CRT monitor back in the day. My, my, how things have changed.

What does the word "iPad" look like in Chinese?

iPad is a strong brand, and I can't see Apple selling it as anything else. However it is not worth $1.6b. If the company holding the copyright wasn't about to go to the dogs I'd be more concerned. Apple can enter into a lengthy legal wrangle and wait for the company in question to fold.

I'm sure whoever decided this got a nice kickback.

So I can't get a real iPad from a fake Apple store in China? I guess Apple will have to open some more real stores and sell renamed 'fake' iPads under another name. haha