Cisco sues Apple over 'iPhone' Trademark

Most of you must be aware of Apple's recent unveiling of its smartphone branded 'iPhone'

• sleek and cool design as any other Apple product
• 11.6 mm thick
• 3.5 inch widescreen, bigger than most iPods
• 3-in-1 handset
• revolutionary mobile phone
• widescreen iPod w/ touch conrols
• breakthrough Internet communications device w/ desktop class email, web browsing, maps and searching
• Touch screen for making phone calls, listening to music and everything else for most of the time
• Sells for $499 - $599 under an exclusive agreement with AT&T's Cingular with a 2 year wireless plan

The iPhone is definitely a bad news for Palm's Treo 750 ($399) and Samsung's new BlackJack ($199). But price-wise BlackJack seems to be the best option, however when it comes to design and feel, it cannot beat Apple's iPhone. Click here for WSJ Premium's detailed comparison of the three products.

While entry into this market for Apple seems promising, it already faces problems. Linksys (recently acquired by Cisco Systems) has sued Apple over trademark violation, because Linksys (and hence Cisco now) has been holding the brandname iPhone since 2000, when Cisco acquired InfoGear Technology Corporation. But don't get confused, Cisco's iPhone is not a smartphone, but instead a VoIP phone. It'll be interesting to see how Apple responds to this lawsuit, as I believe they are not dumb to launch such a sexy product and brand it similar to another product, especially launched by a huge name as Cisco is, and Cisco isin't duh enough to sue Apple if it doesn't see it to be worthy. I'm sure Apple wouldn't or couldn't have reserved trademark rights for all i* products. I had an opportunity to work with Apple, and now am working with Cisco. So, I'm curious to see how this war goes...