8000 BC - 1998: no "i" branding.
1999: Apple release the first in a string of hit products under the "i" branding.
early 2000's to present: many other technology companies and products use "i" branding.
2004: in a completely unrelated development, a Mexican company names itself iFone.
I guess the "i" branding is a natural extension of "e" branding that followed from email. Anyway like I said I dont think Apple should have exclusive rights to "i" branding for various reasons, the biggest of which is that it doesn't seem like they've attempted to defend it against hundreds of other products using it.
