The representatives of Cisco Systems Inc. stated that the company completed a lawsuit against another giant – Apple Inc. The latter, when launching its new gadget called iPhone, used the trademark which belongs to Cisco. The lawsuit was filled by Cisco Systems Inc. in the US district court.
The branded iPhones have been in sale since 2000, when Cisco Systems bought the "iPhone" brand name from Infogear Technology Corp. The latter is today owned by the company. Its original filing for "iPhone" brand name dates back to 1996.
Apple several times asked permission to use the trademark, which is why Cisco Systems entered into negotiation with it. The iPhone gadget produced by Cisco Systems represents a house phone that uses VoIP (Voice Internet Protocol).
Cisco Systems' senior vice president, who is also the company's vice president, Mark Chandler, said that the iPhone developed by Apple is exiting but, the point is, that the company must not use the trademark that doesn't belong to it without asking permission from the trademark's owner.
Apple with its new device made a splash in San Francisco, at the conference called MacWorld. While the Apple's iPhone gains popularity Cisco Systems looks forward to fight for its "iPhone" trademark. Cisco Systems has a division called Linkys that has been shipping the new generation of iPhones since the beginning of 2006. In December, Cisco Systems enlarged its line of iPhones with several additional gadgets.
There "iPhone" trademark is not registered as Apple's. This was proved by database at the US Patent and Trademark Office. Among the list of companies that already use this brand name Apple is not included. In a press release Apple didn't mention anything about the "iPhone" trademark that it uses now for its cell phone.
The iPhone from Apple.

The  only made its appearance as a prototype and there have been controversies aroused.

The dispute has come up between the manufacturer of the iPhone (which was presented on Wednesday for the first time) — Apple Inc. — and a leader in network and communication systems, based in  — . The company claims to possess the trademark for iPhone, and moreover, that it sells devices under the same brand through one of its divisions.

This became the reason for Cisco to file a lawsuit against Apple Inc. so that the latter would stop selling the device.

Cisco states that it has received the trademark in 2000, when the company overtook Infogear Technology Corp., which took place in 1996.

The Vice President and general counsel of the company, Mark Chandler, explained that there was no doubt about the excitement of the new device from Apple, but they should not use a trademark, which belongs to Cisco.

The  is a device which allows users to make phone calls over the voice over Internet protocol ().