How the iPhone was almost called the TelePod (and the iPad): Ex Apple employee reveals rejected names Former Apple advertising lead Ken Segall revealed the alternative names in a lecture Apple believed to have tested dozens of names before deciding on iPhone - which was trademarked by another firm The iPhone has become a global phenomenon, and one of the best known products in the history of electronics. Yet an ex-Apple ad boss has revealed things could have been very different. Former Apple advertising lead Ken Segall told students that TriPod, TelePod, Mobi and even iPad were all considered - before Apple boss Steve Jobs decided on the now familiar iPhone. Scroll down the see the lecture Former Apple advertising lead Ken Segall revealed the names at a lecture in Arizona According to 9to5Mac, which attended the lecture, Telepod was among the front runner as it sounded similar to telephone. Tripod was also a front runner, the lecture revealed. 'While this name did not win out, it did make a big impact on Apple's original presentation and marketing for the iPhone,' 9to5mac said. Tripod stems from the iPhone being a combination phone + iPod + internet communications device - something Steve Jobs hammered home several times when he unveiled the gadget. At the University of Arizona's Department of Marketing lecture Segall said the firm was also keen to keep 'pod' in the name due to the success of the iPod. Introducing the Telepod: Steve Jobs holds up an Apple iPhone at its introduction in 2007 The lecture also revealed a familiar sounding name - iPad. It has previously been revealed that Apple actually started work on the iPad before the iPhone, which was eventually unveiled on June 29, 2007. Once the name had been decided, Apple faced one more issue - Cisco. The rival tech firm had released a product called iPhone before Apple - but the firms eventually settled a dispute, and Apple was free to release its version in June 2007.