iPad Export Ban Difficult to Impose; the Chinese “Love Apple Products”

Chinese authorities are not likely to impose an export ban on the Apple iPad, even with trademark-related lawsuits from Proview Technologies.

China is a big market for Apple. Likewise, Chinese consumers are big fans of Apple products, as evident with how wannabe iPhone and iPad owners line up in droves outside Apple retail stores for the latest gadget releases. But with Apple’s recent trademark row with Proview Technologies,  will an impending iPad export ban prove to be disastrous to Apple?

Proview Technologies claims to still own the “IPAD” trademark. Even after selling the brand name to a company closely related with Apple in 2006, the company says this does not include China. As such, the company has requested authorities to impose sales bans on the iPad, to the extent of having iPad units pulled out of retail store shelves. But Proview’s request to ban exports of the iPad from China might prove to be difficult.

Customs authorities have told Proview that such a ban would be difficult to impose, Reuters reports. “The customs have told us that it will be difficult to implement a ban because many Chinese consumers love Apple products. The sheer size of the market is very big,” says Yang Long-San, chief executive at Proview’s Shenzen office.

But even with heavy costs and setbacks with customs officials, Proview lawyer Roger Xie says the company is adamant at putting pressure on Apple. An export ban would be disastrous for China, given its heavy reliance on its China-based manufacturing facilities and suppliers.

via ZDNet

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