Apple's legal battle over iPad in China spreads to US

A Chinese firm trying to stop Apple Inc from using the iPad name in China has launched an attack on the consumer electronics giant’s home turf, filing a lawsuit in California that accuses it of employing deception when it bought the trademark.

A unit of Proview International Holdings Ltd, a major computer monitor maker that fell on hard times during the global financial crisis, is already suing Apple in multiple Chinese jurisdictions and requesting that sales of iPads be suspended across the country.

Last week, Proview Electronics Co Ltd and Proview Technology Co filed a lawsuit in Santa Clara County that brings their legal dispute to Silicon Valley.

Some legal experts said there could be different outcomes from the US and Chinese cases, but a spreading of the lawsuit and delay in coming to settlement terms could hurt Apple more.

“In relation to the US, Apple is going to somewhat have a homeground advantage,” said Elliot Papageorgiou, a Shanghai-based partner and executive at law firm Rouse Legal (China).

Ponders dividend, bows on board-vote proposal
Apple Inc today adopted a measure long desired by investors and corporate governance activists, granting its shareholders a bigger say in the appointment of directors to the board the company.

Chief Executive Tim Cook also repeated that he has been “thinking very deeply” about investors’ demands that the consumer electronics company return some of its $98 billion in cash and securities to shareholders via a dividend.

Wall Street has bet on the rising likelihood that some of that enormous war chest could be doled out this year, since Cook told investors last week that discussions around that hoard had intensified.