Apple Inc, Apple Corps bury the hatchet
updated 09:55 am EST, Mon February 5, 2007
Apple, Beatles mend ties
Cupertino-based Apple Inc. and The Beatles' company Apple Corps today announced a new agreement concerning the use of the name "Apple" and apple logos to replace their 1991 agreement, placing all previous disputes behind both companies and signaling the end of the ongoing legal dispute. Under the new agreement, Apple Inc. will own all of the trademarks related to "Apple" and will license the usage of certain trademarks back to Apple Corps for their continued use. The ongoing trademark lawsuit between the companies will end, with each party bearing its own legal costs, and Apple Inc. will continue using its name and logos on iTunes. While the terms of the settlement are confidential, Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs commented on the resolution of the dispute.
"We love the Beatles, and it has been painful being at odds with them over these trademarks," Jobs said. "It feels great to resolve this in a positive manner, and in a way that should remove the potential of further disagreements in the future."
Apple Corps manager Neil Aspinall also commented on the settlement to represent the shareholders of Apple Corps, and wished Apple Inc. well in its future endeavors.
"It is great to put this dispute behind us and move on," Aspinall said. "The years ahead are going to be very exciting times for us. We wish Apple Inc. every success and look forward to many years of peaceful co-operation with them."
now let's see
02/05, 10:06am reply
the whole Beatles catalog exclusive to iTunes! at least for a while..
Z
zac4mac
Senior User
Joined: Oct 1999
amazing
02/05, 10:12am reply
wow. Apple will license back to Apple Corps the use of the name 'Apple' for certain uses? I am sure those licensing-back terms are very favorable to Apple Corps, but still. Huge coup for Apple and Jobs. Looks like Apple Corps realized they stand to make more by working with Apple than by litigating over a name whose association with The Beatles is all but forgotten.
climacs
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Joined: Sep 2001
Yay!
02/05, 10:35am reply
One down and 999 to go!
suhail
Senior User
Joined: Nov 1999
Hey!
02/05, 10:50am reply
I thought there was going to be some big Superbowl commercial thing going on with this. Or did I miss it during the boring halftime show?
testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001
boring halftime show?
02/05, 10:57am reply
as usual testudo you have your head up your a**. The Prince halftime show was better than the game and all the commercials put together.
climacs
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Joined: Sep 2001
re: hey
02/05, 11:33am reply
You thought wrong.
JohnnyFive
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good news is good news
02/05, 12:20pm reply
This is good news. They can move on. Hope it didn't cost them the farm. Now they just need to get backdating out of the way and the iPhone trademark. All the other current lawsuits will sort themselves out, one way or another.
Halftime show was great. Best one since U2 did it. The dude has talent. Going from Hendrix into Foo Fighters? Who woulda thought..
Rezzz
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hendrix
02/05, 12:28pm reply
Hendrix was rolling in his grave
phayd
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hendrix
02/05, 12:34pm reply
I didn't know they had web cams when he was burried. What's the URL for that one?
Flying Meat
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re: boring haltime show?
02/05, 12:54pm reply
The Cary-based Dorito's Ad winners basically beat out everything including Price's sad performance at the superbowl. Kudos to the local kids for winning -- their ad was better than the "best of the bowl" 2007 "King Crabs" Budweiser ad...
ibugv4
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