Grudgematch: Cisco sues Apple over iPhone trademark

Welp, I know we all knew it was coming, but a day after the launch? Cisco has filed suit in Federal Court against Apple seeking injunctive relief to prevent Apple from copying Cisco's iPhone trademark. Naturally I am quite confident Apple will settle, but I am guessing since Cisco says they have been in talks for quite a while now that the amount has just gone up. Especially with Apple stock up since the announcement.

So here is my name entry… iPhN to be hip with the Web 2.0 kiddies!

I am sure more will be coming from this but you can read the story from the AP here and read Pete's take as well. Cisco has posted their side via release on the Cisco site.

Cisco has just posted mere minutes ago on their blog a statement from Mark Chandler, Cisco's SVP and General Counsel. A few notes:

Cisco owns the iPhone trademark. We have since 2000, when we bought a company called Infogear Technology, which had developed a product that combined web access and telephone. Infogear’s registrations for the mark date to 1996, before iMacs and iPods were even glimmers in Apple’s eye. 

 I was surprised and disappointed when Apple decided to go ahead and announce their new product with our trademarked name without reaching an agreement. It was essentially the equivalent of “we’re too busy."

The action we have taken today is about not using people’s property without permission. 

I guess my concerns about the iPhone take a back seat to this news.