[JURIST] Tech giants Cisco Systems and Apple, Inc. [corporate websites] have settled their trademark dispute [press release] over the use of the name "iPhone", the companies announced Wednesday. Cisco filed a lawsuit [JURIST report] against Apple in mid-January, and under the settlement agreement both companies will share the "iPhone" name and explore opportunities for greater cooperation, possibly including development of collaborative projects. Other terms of the settlement remain confidential.

Cisco has held the trademark "iPhone" since the year 2000. Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled [recorded video; press release] Apple's cellular iPhone [product website] at a San Francisco tradeshow in January, despite not having agreed to the terms proposed by Cisco for use of the name. The two companies had been negotiating terms of a deal for several years, and were close to agreeing on terms as late as a few hours before Jobs made his announcement. The lack of an agreement before Apple's unveiling prompted Cisco's suit. Apple argued that Cisco's iPhone [product website], which does not operate on cellular networks, but instead operates over the Internet, was materially different from their own. AP has more.