The news
Although Cisco has taken Apple to court over its use of the iPhone name, the company may find itself unable to hold onto that name in Europe, according to trade-mark specialist Lee Curtis of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind OUT-LAW.COM.
Curtis reckons he's found a legal loophole that could see Cisco stripped of its European rights. The doubts he raises centre on Cisco's non-use of the name in Europe within the past five years and Apple's own registration of the trade mark and its plans to sell iPhone-branded products in Europe this year.
According to OUTLAW.COM, a revocation of Cisco's iPhone trade mark was lodged by CMS, a German law firm presumed to be working on behalf of Apple. This apparently took place on Dec 18, 2006 - the same day that Cisco launched an iPhone-branded product in Europe.
If CMS got in first, it may be able to kipper Cisco - and may even be able to do so if it was beaten to the punch but can show that the launch was merely intended to protect the trade mark.
Cisco itself has posted a couple of iPhone-related blogs but not yet responded as far as we can see to Lee Curtis's comments. Those two blogs are detailed on page two.
Check out the Cisco blogs and the OUTLAW.COM article and share your thoughts in this thread in the HEXUS.community.
HEXUS.links
HEXUS.community :: discussion thread about this articleHEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Apple sued by Cisco over use of iPhone name
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Apple shows iPhone & HD network media player, changes name
HEXUS.lifestyle.opinions :: Apple movie downloads (US only) & network media player (yawn) - commentary on September "special event"
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Apple falls foul of Greenpeace for not being green enough
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Macworld San Francisco kicks off with launch of Roxio Toast 8
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac is coming - but not right now
External.links
OUTLAW.COM - Cisco on brink of losing iPhone name in EuropeApple UK - home page
Apple USA - home page
Linksys - US iPhone model range
Cisco Systems - law suit against Apple (PDF - 772KB)
Cisco Systems - home page
Cisco Systems blog - UPDATE on Cisco's iPhone Trademark
Cisco Systems blog - More Answers on Cisco iPhone Trademark Issue
