Things are now getting interesting a little more than 24 hours after Apple announced its new next generation phone, which according to Cisco was without their permission.

Cisco® today announced that it has filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California against Apple, Inc., seeking to prevent Apple from infringing upon and deliberately copying and using Cisco’s registered iPhone trademark.

According to an earlier statement from Cisco:

Given Apple’s numerous requests for permission to use Cisco’s iPhone trademark over the past several years and our extensive discussions with them recently, it is our belief that with their announcement today, Apple intends to agree to the final document and public statement that were distributed to them last night and that addressed a few remaining items. We expect to receive a signed agreement today.

I guess they did not agree to the “few remaining items”.

What could have happened between Cisco and Apple that they could not have worked out this deal earlier?

Cisco announced their version of the iPhone on December 18th 2006, and Apple has been developing their iPhone for 30 months. Something seems out of place, and this appears to be a move to show Apple that they are serious about moving forward with an injunction. I have little doubt that this will all be worked out in the end, but Cisco must at least not back down if they gave January 9th 2007 as a deadline to workout a contract.

I think given the recent iPhone reality distortion field affect that is happening both online and off, Apple may still walk away with more free publicity. Monetary details of the naming deal may never come to light which I am sure is now going to cost them more.

[tags] iPhone, Cisco iphone, apple, cisco, marketing, marketing.fm [/tags]