14 DAY TRIAL // Apple's iPhone road has been full of bumps, some of which would have put the product in danger, the most notable of which being the name of the iPhone itself. While Apple has worked through them all and the iPhone was delivered, problems keep arising as the company moves the gadget overseas.
Back in January, when Apple unveiled its iPhone product for the first time, Cisco Systems Inc. of the United States sued the company in a San Francisco court, arguing that the mobile phone infringes Cisco's earlier-registered trademark for its ''iPhone'' Internet Protocol phone. Eventually Apple and Cisco worked the issue out and now both companies use the iPhone name together for their respective products.
While the incident with Cisco turned out well for both companies, Apple is now facing the same issue in Japan, where the country's largest intercom maker, Aiphone Co., feels that ''iPhone'' may violate its ''Aiphone'' trademark. Aiphone is listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, and claims that the Apple gadget, which combines a mobile phone with the functions of the iPod digital audio, player may be infringing on its trademark. The Nagoya-based company has the rights to use its ''Aiphone'' trademark in Japan and some 70 foreign countries for its intercom products.
So far, beyond the fact that there might be frictions between the two companies, nothing is certain. ''Our company cannot reveal any details of the talks,'' an Aiphone official said. ''We cannot comment on this at this stage.'', he also said. While the companies' two trademarks may not be identical, the way they were with Cisco, Apple will likely want to settle the issue quickly to avoid any possible delays for the Japanese launch of the iPhone which is expected to happen next year.