China orders probe into iPad trademark dispute

BEIJING: China has ordered a probe into the alleged iPad trademark infringement dispute between US-based gadgets maker Apple and a local company.

The probe came over a month after a Chinese court rejected Apple's lawsuit accusing a local company of infringing on trademark "iPad" that could have resulted in it's having to sell it under a new name or cough up USD 1.6 billion.

The Municipal Intermediate People's Court in Shenzhen, a southern Chinese city neighbouring Hong Kong, earlier this week rejected a lawsuit by Apple accusing Proview Technology (Shenzhen) of infringing on its "iPad" trademark.

China's State Administration for Industry & Commerce (SAIC) is starting to investigate the iPad trademark infringement, state run Beijing Daily reported today.

The trademark dispute between Apple Inc and Shenzhen Proview Technology emerged in 2000.