Cisco may lose iPhone rights in Europe

[Bob Crabtree]

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.

Apple's contentious iPhone

More.

[Steve B]

I think there's one undeniable fact, that alot of people seem to be glossing over:

Did apple know about the iPhone trademark before attempting to brand it the iPhone?
-Pretty sturdy yes for this one
Would apple go to the bother of snowballing the hype with the iPhone brandname, if it was not confident that the product would be able to be named the iPhone?
-Somehow, I just dont think so.

I find it totally incoceivable that Apple could not be so sure as to winning this case, that they would change the brandname.

Cisco, by not using the trademark, should have it stripped from them, and stop squatting on trademarks. The fact that to date, only one product of Cisco's has actually been branded the iPhone, just about sums this up.

I'm not an apple fanboy, as I cant stand DRM-related companies, but directhex summed it up in another thread.
If cisco win, apple will be handing them a blank cheque, which i find incredibly disconcerting and underhanded.

All that aside, good read again, Bob!
Cheers,
Steve