iPhone refers to two separate lines of internet appliances: One developed by Infogear and another produced by Cisco's Linksys division.
Infogear iPhone
The iPhone was first released in 1997 by Infogear. The original iPhone was designed by Nathan Clark, an electronics manufacturing engineer from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was a large desktop phone about the size and form factor of a fax machine. It featured a touchscreen, used a variant of JavaOS, and could operate as a web browser or phone. It was one of the first wave of Internet appliances, preceding the I-Opener and 3Com Audrey. Reviewers cited it for offering a simpler and less expensive way to get onto the Internet, but criticized the size, lack of features, and USD $5 per month charge on top of Internet access and the purchase price of the iPhone.[1] When Infogear was acquired by Cisco Systems, the product was discontinued, though they held on to the iPhone registered trademark[2].
Linksys iPhone
In 2006, Linksys, a division of Cisco, released a Voice over IP phone using the iPhone name. Unlike its predecessor, this device uses an existing network and features a proprietary operating system. Many analysts speculated that, in resurrecting its long-dormant trademark, Cisco was attempting to benefit from the halo effect of Apple's popular iPod music player.[3]