GECs
Apple launches iPhone, Cisco lawsuit
MUMBAI: A day after Steve Jobs introduced the latest must have gizmo from Apple Inc – the iPhone – computer networking giant Cisco has announced that it has filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court seeking to prevent Apple from infringing upon and deliberately copying and using Cisco’s registered iPhone trademark.
With its lawsuit, Cisco is seeking injunctive relief to prevent Apple from copying Cisco’s iPhone trademark, informs an official release.
“Cisco entered into negotiations with Apple in good faith after Apple repeatedly asked permission to use Cisco’s iPhone name,” said Cisco senior vice president and general counsel Mark Chandler. “There is no doubt that Apple’s new phone is very exciting, but they should not be using our trademark without our permission.
“Today’s iPhone is not tomorrow’s iPhone. The potential for convergence of the home phone, cell phone, work phone and PC is limitless, which is why it is so important for us to protect our brand,” Chandler concluded.
Cisco obtained the iPhone trademark in 2000 after completing the acquisition of Infogear, which previously owned the mark and sold iPhone products for several years. Infogear’s original filing for the trademark dates to 20 March 1996. Linksys, a division of Cisco, has been shipping a new family of iPhone products since early last year. On 18 December Linksys expanded the iPhone family with additional products.
Apple fired back a rejoinder Wednesday claiming that several companies besides Cisco were currently using the iPhone brand name.
“We believe that Cisco’s US trademark is tenuous at best,” Katie Cotton, Apple’s vice president for worldwide communications, has been quoted as saying. “We are the first company to use the iPhone name for a cellphone and we’re confident we will prevail.”
How this case pans out will be closely watched but one certainty is that intellectual property lawyers will be laughing all the way to the bank as a consequence of this particular tussle.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
