Cisco Sues Apple for Use of iPhone Trademark; Negotiations Pending

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Cisco Sues Apple for Use of iPhone Trademark; Negotiations Pending

6:30 am on January 11, 2007 | Category: Business, Mobile Devices, Cell Phones, Law

Cisco Systems Inc., which owns a trademark for the term “iPhone,” has brought an intellectual property lawsuit against Apple, after it unveiled a cellular device by that name earlier this week.

The networking technology giant is seeking an injunction preventing Apple from “infringing upon and deliberately copying and using” the trademark, until a mutually agreeable settlement can be reached between the two companies.

A spokeswoman with Cisco revealed on Tuesday that the company has been bargaining with Apple about this issue, and hoped to eventually settle the issue amicably.

“Cisco entered into negotiations with Apple in good faith after Apple repeatedly asked permission to use Cisco’s iPhone name,” commented the networking giant’s senior vice president and general counsel, Mark Chandler. “There is no doubt that Apple’s new phone is very exciting, but they should not be using our trademark without our permission,” he concluded in his explanation of the lawsuit.

Cisco’s wireless division, Linksys, has already developed and released a number of Wi-Fi telephony products under the iPhone brand name.