Apple and Cisco have agreed to extend the response deadline from Apple regarding the iPhone trademark dispute. The deadline has been extended to February 15th from the previous deadline of January the 29th.
Both companies have been tight-lipped about the proceedings, but apparently the battle over the name has been raging as long as five years.
Cisco has owned the rights to “iPhone” since 1995. Cisco lauched a line of VoIP phones last year under its Linksys brand. Although Cisco’s product is a Voice over IP phone, and Apple’s product is a cellular phone, Cisco says that Apple’s iPhone could likely evolve into something that could be a direct competitor to Cisco’s iPhone.
Apple and Cisco aren’t saying much about the proceedings, but apparently they have been in discussion about the iPhone name for the past 5 years. Experts say that Apple is gunning for an out of court settlement. The other two options, would both involve Apple losing a lot of money. A lengthly court battle, or paying out royalties to Cisco, both sound like big money losing situations.
Technorati Tags: iPhone, Apple, Cisco, lawsuit, cellphones
February 2nd, 2007 at 7:29 pm
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