Cisco Lets Apple Have Extension

02.16.07 - 04:46pm

Cisco issued a brief statement Thursday saying “Cisco has agreed to give Apple an extension until Wednesday, Feb. 21. Cisco is fully committed to using the extra time to reach a mutually beneficial resolution.”

Cisco and Apple have been trying to hammer out the iPhone situation with the courts involved since Cisco sued Apple after Jobs announced the iPhone at MacWorld. Cisco has iPhones already on the market, introduced in December 2006. Cisco says they wish to differentiate the iPhone products in the market to minimize confusion.

“At this point it’s about saving face and coming up with an acceptable number,” said Mr Kay principal analyst with Endpoint Technologies Associates, “Cisco does not want to appear like it got dope-slapped by Apple.”

Along with the Cisco lawsuit, Apple may have to contend with Canada rights to the iPhone name being claimed by Comwave Telecom. Comwave says it has used the name to market a landline and mobile version of its Internet voice services since 2004. Apple did not file for iPhone name rights in Canada till 2005.

Category: iPhone | Tags: apple, cisco, iPhone