Apple Inc has recently settled the case with a Chinese company, Hanwang Technology Co., Ltd (hereafter refers to as Hanwang Technology). According to the official website of China Trademark Office, the trademark "i-phone" had indeed been transferred from Hanwang Technology to Apple. This means that Apple had resolved its iPhone trademark conflict in China and removed the barrier which may block the slae of iPhone in China.
Apple submitted an application for the registration of the IPHONE trademark to the China Trademark Office of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce in 2002. However, the mark only covers computer software and computer hardware.
Hanwang Technology, one of China's biggest e-reader and handwriting recognition manufacturers, registered the trademark "i-phone" in 2004 in China for its mobile phone and video phone products. The mark was approved by China Trademark Office in October 2006.
However, the similarity between "i-phone" and "iPhone" may lead to illegal sale of iPhone by Apple in China. Because of this, Apple had to either rename the iPhone product in China or seek permission from Hanwang Technology,
When the deal was completed, neither party is willing to make any comment.
