Apple settles iPhone spat with Cisco

Cisco and Apple today announced that they have resolved their dispute involving the "iPhone" trademark. After more than a month of public sparring, the companies recently agreed to several legal extensions, following the Cisco lawsuit over the iPhone trademark (in the US as well as in the UK). Under the agreement, both companies are free to use the "iPhone" trademark on their products throughout the world, according to the release. Both companies acknowledge the trademark ownership rights that have been granted, and each side will dismiss any pending actions regarding the trademark. In addition, Cisco and Apple will explore opportunities for interoperability in the areas of security, and consumer and enterprise communications. Both companies, however, said that other terms of the agreement are confidential.

Earlier this year, Cisco said it simply wanted its equipment and devices to work seamlessly with iPhone, while Apple called the lawsuit "silly." Despite a report that suggested that iPhone royalties could cost Apple hundreds of millions of dollars, the Cupertino-based company continued to push the network giant for rights to the iPhone name, claiming that its iPhone device was a cellular phone, while Cisco claimed the trademark based on a VOIP-based product from its consumer wireless Linksys division.

Apple still faces a possible iPhone trademark lawsuit in Canada, where it has yet to launch the device--despite reports that Roger Wireless will be the exclusive carrier in Canada.

In addition, the Cupertino-based iPod-maker may face a touch-screen patent lawsuit over its forthcoming iPhone from a UK-based company that develops and markets capacitive sensor chips for touch screen applications.

Filed under: Apple