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Cisco Sues Apple over ‘iPhone’ Name

Published on January 11, 2007 | Email this article

The iPhone is officially mired in controversy. Cisco Systems sued Apple yesterday claiming the iPod maker doesn’t have rights to the name iPhone - its newest and much-hyped device, launched this week.

IT giant Cisco launched a line of internet telephone products using the “iPhone” name through its Linksys division three weeks ago and has owned the rights to the name since 2000, reports MarketWatch (via MarketingVox).

The two companies have been negotiating over use of the name for years, and Cisco took Steve Jobs’s iPhone announcement at the Macworld expo earlier this week as a sign that Apple had finally agreed to reach a settlement with Cisco - but the paperwork never arrived.

“There is no doubt that Apple’s new phone is very exciting, but they should not be using our trademark without permission,” said Cisco SVP Mark Chandler.

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