Apple Computer face further payout to Beatles' company
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Apple Computer, maker of the iPod music player and online iTunes Music Store, is likely to be forced into a multimillion-pound payout to Apple Corporation, the Beatles' management company, to settle the latest instalment of a long-running trademark dispute.
Apple Computer, maker of the iPod music player and online iTunes Music Store, is likely to be forced into a multimillion-pound payout to Apple Corporation, the Beatles' management company, to settle the latest instalment of a long-running trademark dispute.
The dispute between the two companies began in 1976, soon after Steve Jobs founded Apple Computer with Steve Wozniak. The Beatles' company, founded in 1968, sued and got an agreement that the computer company would not move into the "music" business.
But it erupted again in 1989 when Apple made computers able to process music. That dispute was settled out of court in 1991, with a $30m (£16m) payment to the Beatles' company and an agreement not to use the Apple trademark in any application "whose principal content is music".
But in October 2001 Apple Computer launched the iPod digital music player - and in April 2003 its iTunes Music Store, which allows people to buy songs over the internet.
Apple Corporation argued that this broke the 1991 agreement. Apple Computer countered that the agreement granted it exclusive rights to use the "Apple" name in relation to data transmission services, which would include the iTunes service.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments