[IP] Cisco Sues Apple for Trademark Infringement

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

Cisco Sues Apple for Trademark Infringement
2007-01-10 17:51 (New York)


           Suit Filed to Protect Cisco's iPhone(R) Trademark


SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--January 10, 2007
Cisco(R) (NASDAQ:CSCO) today announced that it has filed a lawsuit
in the United States District Court for the Northern District of
California against Apple, Inc., seeking to prevent Apple from
infringing upon and deliberately copying and using Cisco's registered
iPhone trademark.

   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. Linksys, a division of Cisco, has
been shipping a new family of iPhone products since early last year.
On Dec. 18, Linksys expanded the iPhone(R) family with additional
products.

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

   "Today's iPhone is not tomorrow's iPhone. The potential for
convergence of the home phone, cell phone, work phone and PC is
limitless, which is why it is so important for us to protect our
brand," Chandler concluded.

   With its lawsuit, Cisco is seeking injunctive relief to prevent
Apple from copying Cisco's iPhone trademark. For more information on
the Cisco iPhone product line, please visit www.linksys.com/iphone.

 
  

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