Apple and Cisco Continue to Negotiate over “iPhone” Brand

by Anton Shilov
02/01/2007 | 02:11 PM

Apple Computer Inc. and Cisco Microsystems on Thursday released a short notice to press that the two companies will continue negotiating over Apple’s use of the “iPhone” trademark which belongs to Cisco.

“Apple and Cisco have agreed to extend the time for Apple to respond to the lawsuit to allow for discussions between the companies with the aim of reaching agreement on trademark rights and interoperability,” the statement by the two companies reads.

Cisco Systems, a leading telecommunication company, recently announced that it has filed a lawsuit in the United States against Apple in order to prevent usage of iPhone name. Cisco claims its ownership of the mark and did not express any wish to allow Apple to use it for its recently announced mobile phone.

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, the telecom company said. Linksys, a division of Cisco, has been shipping a new family of iPhone products since early last year and in mid-December Linksys expanded the iPhone family with additional products, the firm reminded.

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

Cisco Inc., was seeking to prevent Apple from “infringing upon and deliberately copying and using Cisco’s registered iPhone trademark”.