Home networking company rolls out VoIP devices bearing the unofficial name of
Apple's much-anticipated mobile phone.
Home networking company rolls out VoIP devices bearing the unofficial name of
Apple's much-anticipated mobile phone.
The iPhone has finally hit shelves in the US, just not in a way that Apple fans were hoping for.
Linksys on Monday introduced a series of seven VoIP devices in the US under the "iPhone" brand. The devices include cordless and wireless models that support Skype and Yahoo Messenger with Voice services. Prices range from $99.95 to $475.00
The iPhone name is noteworthy because media and analysts over the past years have used the name iPhone to indicate a mobile phone from Apple. The name was chosen beacuse it resembles that of the iPod.
According to the latest rumours, Apple is preparing to launch such a mobile phone early next year. The company was also believed to be launching an iPhone last August as well as last year when Motorola started selling its iTunes powered Rokr. Apple has never given any indication that it plans to launch a phone, or that it plans to name the device iPhone.
But in case Apple was preparing to launch an iPhone, the company will be forced to do so under a different name.
According to a company spokesperson, Linksys' parent company Cisco acquired the trademark to the iPhone brand in 2000 through the purchase of Infogear Technologies.
Apple first registered the internet domain name iphone.org in 1999. The computer maker didn't immediately return a request for comment.
The Cisco spokesperson declined to comment on any dialogue between Apple and Cisco, but said that the company had no reason to believe that Apple ever intended to use the name "iPhone" for its rumored smartphone device.
Cisco's trademark would be worthless if the company never shipped a product, but its ownership claim would remain valid as long as the networking manufacturer showed an intent to use the brand in commerce within five years after filing for the trademark, according to Matthew Kabak, a San Francisco trademark and copyright lawyer.
Apple however does has a shot at obtaining the rights if it can proof that it applied to the trademark before Infogear did, Kabak added.