Apple Wrestles iPhone From Cisco

Apple struck a deal with Cisco to use the iPhone trademark last night.

How much Apple had to pay was not disclosed, nor were other terms of the deal. One thing is clear: The computer maker electronics geniuses won't face an injunction in June when the spiffy phone goes to market.

Under the agreement, Cisco and Apple will both use the iPhone trademark on their phone products. Control freak Jobs doesn't seem like he'd go for something like this.

Apple, Cisco Friendly Chat on iPhone?

Apple and Cisco are drawing near a self-imposed deadline of Thursday to work out their differences over the iPhone trademark.

I'm not so certain that I buy the Cisco PR spin on this that they want to just work out some sort of amicable technology-sharing deal. I've seen two WSJ stories take this angle. The latest comes from WSJ scoop monster Nick Wingfield. So maybe it's so.

Yet I can't help but figure that Cisco seems to hold some serious cards here (purchased the company that owned the trademark, then launched VoIP phones bearing the name), and there are piles of chips on the table.

After all, a royalties arrangement where Apple pays Cisco could involve some serious coin. And there's the threat of injunction against what could be arguably the most talked about product debut in years.