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Apple and Cisco Work Towards iPhone Interoperability

6:30 am on April 20, 2007 | Category: Cell Phones, Mobile Devices, Wireless Technology

Cisco Systems and Apple, each of which are separately promoting â€œiPhoneâ€-branded mobile devices, are exploring a variety of ways that their products can work together, according to Cisco’s Chief Development Officer, Charlie Giancarlo.

Cisco, which owns a trademark on the iPhone brand, agreed to share the name in February, on the condition that Apple would help ensure interoperability between its much-hyped iTunes music phone, and Cisco’s existing business and consumer products.

The negotiations aren’t focused on Cisco’s iPhone-products, but rather on the networking giant’s corporate phone systems. The hoped-for partnership would allow users to access the same communications services, such as teleconferencing and instant messaging, on both corporate desk phones and Apple handsets.

Such a deal would help both companies by making the Apple iPhone more attractive to enterprise-level customers, and allowing Cisco to benefit from the global tidal wave of iTunes users itching to own an Apple-branded mobile phone.

“We’re optimistic, but it’s still early,” Giancarlo commented in a recent interview, noting that ways in which the two companys’ products can work together “are now being investigated by both technical teams.”

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