Apple is victorious in a trademark suit! No, not against Psystar, but against a company in China that used an apple logo strikingly similar to the US computer- and gadget-maker’s. Apple operates business in China, so it’s not surprising that it ran into conflicts with another company trying to use an Apple logo. The New Apple Concept Digital Technology Co Ltd has now been ordered by the People’s Court in Shenyang to pay 400,000 yuan (roughly US$58,000) to Apple, Inc. in damages, as reported by China’s state-run news agency Xinhua. 

As pointed out by Xinhua, Apple registered the Apple trademark and logo when it first entered China in 1993, and has exclusive trademark rights until 2013. New Apple Concept Digital Technology, on the other hand, was opened in 2005 and used a logo that was apparently similar enough to Apple’s that the company found itself on the receiving end of a lawsuit earlier this year. 

China isn’t always known for its strict enforcement of copyrights and trademarks, but the government is making an effort to turn that reputation around. This year’s Olympic Games brought trademark infringement to the forefront of Chinese officials’ attention, as it’s not difficult to find counterfeit products (especially if they’re expensive, like say, Olympic merchandise or Apple products). This wasn’t even a case of counterfeits, though, and the courts still found in favor of Apple, so things must be going in the right direction. 

By: Jacqui Cheng