Cisco today announced that it has filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California against Apple, Inc., seeking to prevent Apple from infringing upon and deliberately copying and using Cisco’s registered iPhone trademark.
Cisco obtained the iPhone trademark in 2000 after completing the acquisition of Infogear, which previously owned the mark and sold iPhone products for several years. Infogear’s original filing for the trademark dates to March 20, 1996. Linksys, a division of Cisco, has been shipping a new family of iPhone products since early last year. On Dec. 18, Linksys expanded the iPhone family with additional products.
“Cisco entered into negotiations with Apple in good faith after Apple repeatedly asked permission to use Cisco’s iPhone name,” said Mark Chandler, senior vice president and general counsel, Cisco, in the press release. “There is no doubt that Apple’s new phone is very exciting, but they should not be using our trademark without our permission.
“Today’s iPhone is not tomorrow’s iPhone. The potential for convergence of the home phone, cell phone, work phone and PC is limitless, which is why it is so important for us to protect our brand,” Chandler concluded.
With its lawsuit, Cisco is seeking injunctive relief to prevent Apple from copying Cisco’s iPhone trademark.
MacDailyNews Note: Yesterday, Cisco issued official comments on the Apple iPhone announcement: “Given Apple’s numerous requests for permission to use Cisco’s iPhone trademark over the past several years and our extensive discussions with them recently, it is our belief that with their announcement today, Apple intends to agree to the final document and public statement that were distributed to them last night and that addressed a few remaining items. We expect to receive a signed agreement today.”
Either Apple doesn’t really to use the name “iPhone” upon release (it is much more than just a phone, after all) and they’re just using it for the built-in free publicity or this is just part of a tough negotiation process. It isn’t really much of a worry either way. Remember, Apple’s “iPhone” isn’t available for pre-order, much less being sold, yet. This naming issue will be worked out by June – probably much sooner.
Related articles:
The only thing really wrong with Apple’s iPhone is its name – January 09, 2007
Briefly: Apple changes corporate name; Cisco expects agreement on ‘iPhone’ trademark today – January 09, 2007
Apple debuts iPhone: touchscreen mobile phone + widescreen iPod + Internet communicator – January 09, 2007
Everyone is putting WAY TOO MUCH emphasis on the phone aspect of this device. It is the entirety of the “package” as a whole that makes it revolutionary, and it is the entirety of the “package” as a whole that will reflect its eventual name.
mw; there, as in, there, I’ve had my say!
i like iphone because it the name that as been more rumored over the months,its a good word for what it is,its a very good device and it will have its own market.
GET A LIFE!!!!
Cisco own the name iPhone. Period.
Apple can’t have it. The only way they will be able to get it is with big corporate bullying tactics.
or by simply giving them a big pile of cash.
It’s a frickin’ phone, for chrissakes! Would you call it the iPackage!!??
[Shift-option-k]Phone = Phone
they should call it what it is: badmuthafucka…phone.
Cisco have a lot of lawsuits to file.
http://www.comwave.net/CDN/iPhone/index.htm
http://linkstochina.com/RingChina/iPhone.html
https://iphone.nuvio.com/html/
http://founderna.com/iphone/
http://www.teledex.com/index.cfm?page=LP_3&crid=13
And I’m sure there are more out there.
The fact that Cisco hasn’t sued any of these guys means that Apple is pretty much safe.
Cisco can’t suddenly claim to be defending their trademark if all the above can happily produce iphones in one form or another.
I agree with MDN’s take, but of course the reall issue is to make sure that Apple is kept in it’s place so that MS can continue with it’s illegal business practices, unhampered.