So Apple announces the iPhone and toys with Cisco about licensing its trademark.
Cisco GC Mark Chandler took the time to blog on the company line. Here’s my favorite part:
At MacWorld, Apple discussed the patents pending on their new phone technology. They clearly seem to value intellectual property. If the tables were turned, do you think Apple would allow someone to blatantly infringe on their rights? How would Apple react if someone launched a product called iPod but claimed it was ok to use the name because it used a different video format? Would that be ok? We know the answer – Apple is a very aggressive enforcer of their trademark rights. And that needs to be a two-way street.
No response yet from new Apple GC Donald Rosenberg; he’s probably still unpacking his bags. And Apple employees don’t blog. But they certainly can innovate.
Forbes wonders if this is a ploy for publicity by Steve Jobs; Marty Schwimmer has the complaint and was first to file on the issue of Apple’s actions prior to announcing the iPhone. IP Attorney Brian Banner thinks Apple and Cisco may eventually share the iPhone moniker.
Denise Howell had early thoughts on the bigger picture: the iPhone from the user’s standpoint; ZDnet colleague Ed Burnette says some experts think Cisco may have lost the trademark last year.
Update: Cisco responds to these trademark questions.