The Great iPhone Name Heist: How Apple Stole the iPhone Trademark from Cisco

In a move that redefined corporate audacity, Apple CEO Steve Jobs orchestrated one of the most brazen trademark heists in tech history. On February 21, 2007, Apple and Cisco settled their bitter dispute over the iPhone name—but not before Jobs pulled off a masterclass in negotiation tactics that would make even the most seasoned corporate raiders blush.

The Original iPhone: A Forgotten Pioneer

Before Apple’s iconic smartphone dominated the market, there was already an “iPhone” in existence. In 1998, InfoGear Technology Corporation launched a revolutionary touchscreen home phone that it boldly named the “iPhone.” This device emerged from National Semiconductor’s secret “Project Mercury” and represented the cutting edge of “internet appliances”—those early attempts at creating connected devices that would eventually evolve into today’s Internet of Things.

The InfoGear iPhone was ahead of its time, offering features like visual voicemail, basic applications, and early touch technology. Priced at $499 plus internet access fees, it aimed to “co-exist with PCs much as the microwave co-exists with a conventional oven.” Despite selling around 100,000 units and receiving positive reviews, the technology simply wasn’t ready for mainstream adoption.

Cisco Enters the Picture

When Cisco acquired InfoGear in the early 2000s, it inherited the iPhone trademark. However, by 2007, Cisco hadn’t actively used the name for years, creating a legal gray area that Apple would exploit masterfully.

Apple’s Calculated Gamble

Apple had been eyeing the cellphone market for years. The company had purchased the iPhone.org domain back in 1999, and with the runaway success of the iMac, iBook, iPod, and iTunes Store, the “i” prefix had become one of the most recognizable brands in consumer electronics.

But here’s where the story gets truly fascinating: Apple knew full well that Cisco owned the iPhone trademark. Yet in January 2007, Jobs unveiled the iPhone to the world anyway. The very next day, Cisco filed a lawsuit against Apple for trademark infringement.

Steve Jobs’ Legendary Negotiation Tactics

What followed was a negotiation so audacious it borders on legendary. According to Adam Lashinsky’s book Inside Apple, Jobs personally called Cisco executive Charles Giancarlo to discuss the matter. The conversation reportedly went something like this:

“Steve called in and said that he wanted it,” Giancarlo recalled. “He didn’t offer us anything for it. It was just like a promise he’d be our best friend. And we said, ‘No, we’re planning on using it.'”

The legal battle intensified, with Apple’s lawyers arguing that Cisco had “abandoned the brand” by not adequately defending its intellectual property rights. Then came the masterstroke: Jobs called Giancarlo at home during dinner on Valentine’s Day.

Giancarlo was stunned when Jobs asked, “Can you get email at home?” This was 2007, when broadband internet was already ubiquitous, especially among Silicon Valley executives. Jobs was clearly trying to press Giancarlo’s buttons—in the nicest possible way.

The psychological warfare worked. Cisco eventually gave up the fight, and Apple secured the iPhone trademark.

The iOS Trademark Caper

But Apple wasn’t done. The company later “borrowed” another major Cisco trademark: IOS (Cisco’s Internet Operating System). Once again, Apple got its way, demonstrating Jobs’ uncanny ability to push boundaries and get what he wanted.

The Aftermath

The promised Cisco-Apple partnership to “explore opportunities for interoperability” never materialized. Instead, Apple went on to revolutionize the smartphone industry with the iPhone, while the original InfoGear iPhone faded into obscurity.

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