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January 11, 2007
Good thing I didn’t file a trademark on iPhone back in 1995…
Now I’m not a lawyer and I don’t play one on TV but back in February 1995, I started the iPhone mailing list as an activity in support of VocalTec’s software product, Internet Phone. Back then I was a full-time “"Communications Enthusiast” and filing a trademark on the invention of the name never crossed my mind. And in fact, if anything, iPhone should have been owned by VocalTec. Just as a point of reference, back in those days, I used to host the iPhone user directory.
A quick Google on the terms “iphone +Pulver” currently yields 74,900 hits.
This said, back in July 1996, Intel launched the “Intel Internet Phone” and this was also known as the Intel IPhone.
After all these years, until this week I had thought the term “iPhone” had become a generic noun used in our Internet culture to describe various Internet communication applications. The term iPhone had never been used in the past to describe a cell phone. However, I will leave this discussion for the courts
Tags: iPhone, VoIP, Apple, Cisco, Jeff Pulver
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Posted by jeff on January 11, 2007 06:21 PM | Permalink
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Comments
Hello Jeff,
You make this court case look almost funny. Watchout, you may have to testify!..
Posted by: Ravenii at January 15, 2007 05:39 PM
Search at wikipedia for Internet Phone and Vocaltec.
Posted by: Toni at January 13, 2007 05:56 AM
Looks like the trademark was already generic before it was granted. Kind of hard for CISCO to prevent "Dilution of Trademark", when the docs in question are prior art.
Posted by: Christopher Wigginton at January 12, 2007 02:13 PM
It is very interesting and funny, who all claims the name iphone for himself. I recognized this term the first time in the middle of 90´s, used by Vocaltec. I don´t know who is really the holder of this trademark by law. But show business is like snow business!!! Steve Jobs did a good show.
Posted by: Toni at January 12, 2007 12:13 PM
Just curious, would you have sued Apple, like Cisco did, or is your philosophy mainly 'live and let live?' I imagine that you would let them have your TM, because you already make so much money from your other ventures, like VON and Network2 and the Mets and such. You're a grate guy Jeff, I love the blog, it's my first read every day. Keep up the good work! Over and out.
Posted by: Congie Chunga at January 12, 2007 08:06 AM
Why am i not surprised... great story jeff.
Posted by: Gadi Shimshon at January 12, 2007 07:43 AM