January 12, 2007......... VoIPless iPhone: legal ploy

CNET reported this morning that the battle between Apple and Cisco over the name "iPhone" runs to the heart of whether it has voIP capabilities. If the Apple product is only a cell phone then Apple can argue (weakly in my view) that they have infringed on the Cisco trademark no more than "Delta Faucets" has infringed on "Delta Airlines". If that is true then we can reasonably guess that Apple has a voIP component ready for implementation in its iPhone.

Let's assume for a minute that this voIP component is "iChat", Apple's current but moribund IM/VoIP client. It is a likely assumption and I should have mentioned it earlier. As a Skype enthusiast, the prospect of a rejuvenated iChat threatening, but as an Apple enthusiast, it is intriguing.

Upcoming installment in Borderless Communication: "iChat, A Speculative Review".