Cisco claims Apple's iPhone is "deceptively and confusingly similar"

[Guest goodtime]

The Associated Press

Published: February 1, 2007

SAN JOSE, California: Apple Inc. and Cisco Systems Inc. are apparently suspending their court battle over the iPhone to return to the negotiations table.

 

Although Cisco's lawsuit against Apple remains pending, the two companies have agreed to extend the time Apple has to respond so the parties can discuss trademark rights and interoperability, the companies said late Wednesday. The aim is to reach an agreement on the matter, they said.

 

Cisco, which makes routers and switches to link networks and power the Internet, has owned the trademark on the name "iPhone" since 2000 and began shipping its own line of iPhone-branded Internet-enabled phones in the spring of 2006.

 

When Apple announced its cell phone-iPod-Internet communications device last month and called it "iPhone," negotiations between the tech companies ended with a thud. Cisco sued Apple the following day, claiming trademark infringement.

 

Cisco claims Apple's new device is "deceptively and confusingly similar" to its own line of wireless phones from Cisco's Linksys division. Apple says it is entitled to use the name "iPhone" because its device operates over a cellular network, unlike Cisco's phones, which use the Internet. Apple plans to start selling its iPhone in June.

 

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Edited February 2, 2007 by goodtime

[Urbz]

Cisco's so full of {censored}.

Money, money, money...

[Guest goodtime]

Cisco's so full of {censored}.

Money, money, money...

I agree. How can they imply that a two finger gesture touch screen Cell Phone is anything like Cisco's Internet Phone that you can only use around the house?

 

Cisco uses Apple Laptop in Internet Phone Ad:

Despite the more recent legal skirmish, Cisco is pushing ahead with its own Linksys iPhone. It took out a full-page ad in Thursday's edition of The New York Times to promote the product and included the small "R" for registered trademark next to the name.

 

The ad, touting "iPhone: More than talk!" featured two women sitting back-to-back on a grassy field, one using a phone and the other a laptop — an Apple laptop.

How ironic! Can someone scan in the ad and post it here? Thank you!

 

gt

Edited February 2, 2007 by goodtime

[Metrogirl]

I recall reading a long time ago that Apple alleged the "i" in iPod. etc. was derived from "internet". If that's the case, then Cisco's internet phone has more claim to the name than Apple's cellphone. But I can't help wondering how the Apple trademark lawyers didn't register "iPhone" as soon as they had the concept instead of letting Cisco swipe it first.

[Guest goodtime]

I recall reading a long time ago that Apple alleged the "i" in iPod. etc. was derived from "internet". If that's the case, then Cisco's internet phone has more claim to the name than Apple's cellphone. But I can't help wondering how the Apple trademark lawyers didn't register "iPhone" as soon as they had the concept instead of letting Cisco swipe it first.

 

I think you are right, because the i in iMac and iBook was also derived from the word "internet."

 

The iPhone does surf the internet too. But the Cisco IPhones are just for voice over IP, unless they updated them recently as the new ad's imply.

 

gt

Edited February 2, 2007 by goodtime