The Guangdong High People's Court began hearing an appeal in the much-publicized dispute. As the second trial in the case and an appeal of a lower court decision, the verdict will be final under Chinese law.

The Guangdong High People's Court began hearing an appeal in the much-publicized dispute.

If the court finds Apple infringed on the trademark rights of Shenzhen-based Proview , Apple's wildly popular iPad tablet computers will be banned from sale on the Chinese mainland. Proview, which maintains it holds the iPad trademark in China, has been suing Apple in various jurisdictions in the country for infringement.

A Shanghai court last week, threw out a request by Proview to halt iPad sales in the city, but the outcome of the broader dispute hinges on the higher court hearing in Guangdong. Lawyers said a decision could take weeks. China is Apple's second biggest market, with 13 billion U.S. dollars in sales last year.

Apple could face fines in the billions of dollars if it loses, but it's not just about sales for the company. Apple has expansive manufacturing presence here in China, many of its popular gadgets are assembled here - and a decision against the company could be disastrous for not just its Chinese market, but for global supply.

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