Shanghai Court Denies Injunction Against iPad Sales in Proview Trademark Dispute

Reuters reports that a Shanghai court has declined to issue an injunction that would have barred sales of Apple's iPad in the city, a ruling that is part of the dispute between Apple and Proview Technology over the trademark on the iPad name.

Early reports had painted the decision as a significant victory for Apple, but while the company is no doubt pleased that the judge in the case did not find sufficient cause to halt iPad sales at this time, it appears to mainly be a procedural ruling to put off further proceedings until a decision is reached in a related case in Guangdong province. Apple lost an initial case there and is currently appealing that decision.

The Shanghai Pudong New Area People's Court denied a request by Proview Technology (Shenzhen) for the injunction and agreed to Apple's request that the trademark infringement case be suspended pending a ruling in a separate case in a higher court.

The decision, announced on Thursday on the court's website, gives Apple some leeway in a larger battle over the iPad trademark in China, which is important to Apple not only as a consumer market, but also because the country is a major production base for the iPad and other of its products.

Proview has won several small victories against Apple in cities around China, but a ruling against Apple in Shanghai would have been by far the most significant given the city's size and Apple's presence there with three of its own retail stores.