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27 Mar 2006
The long-running courtroom battle between The Beatles' Apple Records and Apple Computer continues this week as Apple Corps seeks multi-million pound damages from the iTunes creator.
Apple Corps first sued Apple Computer in 1981, settling the case for $80,000 and the promise that Steve Jobs's company would not enter the music business again.
However, when Apple Computer produced music-creation software in 1989 it was taken to court again by Apple Corps and the case was settled for $26m.
Apple Corps now claims that the creation of Apple's iTunes software breaks the terms of the 1989 settlement.
This agreement stated that Apple Corps had rights over creative works where the content was mainly music, while Apple Computer was allowed to reproduce, run, play or deliver such content.
Apple Computer plans to fight the case by claiming that its service is simply a system of data transmission.
The deciding factor may be the clause in the previous agreement which stated that Apple Computer is not allowed to distribute content on physical media. This originally covered tapes and CDs and may not apply to MP3 music files.
Apple Corps was set up by, and is still owned by, The Beatles and their heirs, including Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and George Harrison's widow Olivia. Its Apple Records subsidiary still controls the licensing of Beatles songs.
The case will be heard in London following a 2004 ruling. Apple Computer had hoped that the case would be heard in California.
Steve Jobs's music empire has faced tough times recently. The French government proposed a bill last week that would force Apple to make songs downloaded using its iTunes software playable on all MP3 players.
While Jobs reacted in typically bullish form to the news, analyst firm Gartner suggested today that the legislation will have far-reaching consequences.
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Do you agree?
Who came first?
As well as the record label, Apple Corps had other subsidiaries. When Apple Computer first came out I thought it was another Apple Corps venture. Apple Computer can change their name - is Banana still available?
Posted by: Mike 29 Mar 2006
Who the Hell Are Apple Computers
we are being screwed enough by Mircosoft apple computers the RIAA and BPI what happened to free market enterprise all Power to Apple Corps and lets hope they beat the yanks who think theuy are untouchable
Posted by: Jan 29 Mar 2006
To Jon Adams
Only the band that influenced everything that came after it, get a life? No, Jo, get an education.
Posted by: Peter Baylis 29 Mar 2006
BS
Most of the music the Beatles produced isn't even owned by them. I believe that a large chunck of it is owned by Michael Jackson maybe. I remember hearing about Sir Paul owning rights to other music like "Buddy Holly" and several others. He really owns the rights to more so recent music like The Wings and any self produced music. Yoko is still cashing in on her late husband's fame. Olivia is just now getting on the bandwagon since George Harrison was the more recent one to pass on. Ringo idk about him he is just floating around abiding his time.
Posted by: Mike D. 28 Mar 2006
Who are they?
Screw the Beatles and their Apple Corps. Who the hell are they, mostly a bunch of old dead musicians? Apple Computer rules!
Posted by: jon adams 28 Mar 2006
to jon adams
get a life. It's a machine.
Posted by: Tony 28 Mar 2006
Beatles aren't making enough Profits
Apparently Apple Corp. isn't making as much money as they assume they should. They are only going after Apple Computer for profit--plain and simple. Who could possible confuse a record company of an old 60s group, to a current billion dollar American Computer Company. The remaining Beatles and their heirs apparently think the Beatles Music is the holy grail of recording--give me a break. The shame of the matter: Apple Corp could probably make more profit licensing the Beatles tunes to Itunes exclusively then suing them, but they refused to allow the Beatle's tunes to be distributed in electronic format. Through the old Napster, Kazaa, Bit Torrent and a host of others P2P, people across America and the world have created high quality mp3s of the Beatle's music. These mp3s have been uploaded, downloaded and traded all around the world. Millions of dollars were lost.
Posted by: Stevie Cuchie Ouchie 28 Mar 2006
How much money is enough?
Face it, ex-Beatles: nobody confuses Apple Computer with Apple Corps, and when was the last time Apple Corps actually created something new? You got $26M already. Move on.
Posted by: RB 27 Mar 2006
Apple who..??
The Beatles record label? From back in the 60s? Are they still around? What have they created lately, as in hte past thirty years? Make that thirty-five years. I smell greedy lawyers.
Posted by: Gordon Wagner 27 Mar 2006
molehills to mountains
Because this issue between Apple Computer & Apple Corp. has raged on for decades I am sure that Apple Computer "weighed" the costs associated with the various scenarios before they went ahead this time around. You can be virtually certain that Apple Computer, even if they lose this round, is confident that they can safely "sacrifice" whatever they might lose. Indeed, I believe the media is making more of a big deal out of this recent round than is Apple Computer. Everyday thousands of businesses go ahead with plans that they know full well will "cost them in court" because they have calculated that the benefit to them, even after they pay out in a court case, outweighs what they can lose. That's all business is anyway is it not; make more than you lose, regardless of the circumstances surrounding your loss... Every significant company you can think of views the "playing field" this way and, more importantly, they consistently play the game this way. Pharmaceutical companies do it, tobacco companies do it, driver's do it when they speed, law firms do it, automobile manufacturers do it, GOVERNMENTS DO IT. It's just business. "...one big game of chess." Mark McCarthy III canavusATfastmoneyhappens.com
Posted by: Mark McCarthy III 27 Mar 2006