Apple is close to settling a legal spat with Cisco over the use of the iPhone name.
According to sources close to the issue, both Companies are trying to work towards settling the issue with one option being a joint venture between Cisco and Apple for the ongoing development of new networking and wireless technology for the home and small business market.
“Both Companies have a lot to offer each other and while their have been issues over the iPhone name both Companies are keen to work with each other going forward particulary in the development of technology for the home”.said an Apple insider. “Prior to the legal issue Cisco and Apple had held several discussions on several issues” they added.
In a joint statement released this week, Apple and Cisco agreed to extend the time Apple has to respond to Cisco’s iPhone trademark lawsuit filed on January 10.
Under the new agreement, Apple now has until Feb. 15, the day after Valentine’s Day, to either answer the lawsuit or to work out a settlement with Cisco over the iPhone trademark rights and interoperability issue, according to the rules governing the United States District Court, Northern District of California, where the suit was filed.
According to district court rules, Apple originally had 20 days to respond to Cisco’s initial lawsuit. That deadline passed yesterday.
When asked for further comment on the new agreement, a representative from Apple said the company had nothing to add.
Cisco’s lawsuit stemmed from what Mark Chandler, the company’s senior vice president, characterized as Apple’s blatant disregard for the progress the two companies had been making on sharing the iPhone brand.
According to Chandler, both companies were working on a deal to share the iPhone trademark and design products that would interoperate though “the network.” Then, Apple abruptly pulled out of discussions right before the official iPhone announcement on Jan. 9.
Cisco answered with a lawsuit the next day.
