Apple Sues Apple


Yes folks, it's time once again for The Beatles record label, Apple Corps, to dust off their lawyers and send them after their favorite cash cow, Apple Computer.

You see, back in 1977, when the two Steve's were incorporating their garage-shop venture into a real company, Steve Jobs made the crucial misstep of naming his new company "Apple" as an homage to his favorite group of musicians, The Beatles. Naturally, that immediately made the new company guilty of trademark infringement. So Apple Computer paid Apple Corps a settlement for the infringement. And because Apple Corps was a music company and didn't want to breed new competition, they also asked the new company to promise in writing that it would concentrate its business only on computers and steer clear of the music business. Suffering a momentary visionary blind spot, Jobs signed the agreement.

Things changed in 1986 when the Macintosh became capable of producing synthesized music. Suddenly professional musicians were buying the machines in droves, and Apple Corps smelled cash. Once again Apple Computer paid Apple Corps a tidy sum because now it was breaking the previous agreement to not enter the music business.

It's now almost 20 years later and guess what? Apple Computer is going deeper into the music business with its very successful iPod music players and the iTunes Music Store. Now guess who's come knocking at the door with a fresh money-bag ready to be filled? That's right, the Fab Four's lawyers.

I'm sure the whole thing will be settled once again with a great wad of cash changing hands, but I hope that this time Apple Computer gets something more as part of the agreement. It would be great to see Apple Computer walk away with permission to sell The Beatles music through the iTunes Music Store. This would not only give Apple Computer a nice little coup like the one Real Networks scored with its Rolling Stones agreement, but it would also help reinvigorate sales of The Beatles' music in these times of declining CD sales. So here's to a successful suit for both Apples!

Posted: Sun - September 14, 2003 at 10:40 PM          

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