Apple has reached a settlement with Shenzhen Proview Technology by paying US$60 million to the latter in exchange for the ownership of iPad trademark, clearing the way for Apple to release the new iPad in China.

Apple has reached a settlement with Shenzhen Proview Technology by paying US$60 million to the latter in exchange for the ownership of iPad trademark. The high people's court of Guangdong province in China on Monday announced the ruling, which essentially ends the dispute over the iPad trademark in mainland China.

Shenzhen Proview Technology is a subsidiary of Taiwan's Proview Technology Group. Yang Jung-shan, chairman of Proview Technology Group, expressed that the settlement price is unsatisfactory but acceptable, adding that it could have won more settlement payment had it not been for the company's business plight.

The settlement will be able to clear the blockade for Apple to tap the huge mainland Chinese market and the company's iPad series will be able to hit the Chinese market extensively.

The trademark dispute originated from the fact that iPad trademark was conceived by Taiwan Proview Technology, which registered the trademark in Taiwan and mainland China in 2000 and 2001, respectively.

In 2006, Apple bought iPad trademark from Taiwan Proview at US$55,000. Shenzhen Proview, however, has claimed that it still owns the trademark right in mainland China and asked US$2 billion of compensation from Apple.

Apple has yet to announce a China release date for the iPad 3 but the country's telecommunications equipment certification agency approved the tablet in May.