Who knew apples could be so expensive? (Though they're pretty damn expensive in the shop next to our office). The trademark dispute between Apple Computers and the Beatles' owned music company Apple Corps continues, and the latest word is that the former may be forced to pay the latter a large sum of money in an out of court settlement.
As previously reported, the two companies are heading for a court battle over the use of the Apple trademark in the music space. The disagreement relates to a 1981 agreement between the two companies when Apple Corps agreed to allow Apple Mac to use the Apple name, and an apple image logo, in the computing sector. This agreement was redrafted ten years later when the Beatles' company claimed the computer firm was breaching the original agreement as it extended its business into other areas.
The second agreement seemed to work fine until Apple launched iTunes. While the computer firm argue that iTunes is essentially just a computerised distribution system that happens to distribute music files, Apple Corps say the new venture saw the computer company enter the music business, and that violates the 1991 agreement.
While both sides remain tight lipped on the legal dispute, insiders reckon Apple Corps have the strongest case and that the computer firm will be forced to pay a large sum of money to continue using the Apple name on their music services. One lawyer told showbusiness newspaper Variety: "People are expecting this to be the biggest settlement anywhere in legal history, outside of a class action suit. The numbers could be mind boggling." Those insiders reckon any new settlement will dwarf the $30 million Apple Computers paid Apple Corps after the last dispute in 1991.