Apple Corp v Apple Computers

 

                      

            Did Apple Computers get away with too much?

 

    In 1967 the multimedia record company founded by The Beatles Apple Corp was founded, and in 1976 the company Apple Computers was launched. Two years later, after the launch of Apple Computer's The Beatles record label sued Apple Computers for trademark infringement. The Beatle's main argument was that the two logos and company names were too similar and that they would easily get mistaken for one another. The two companies were able to settle on an agreement in 1981; they agreed to split up the trademark regarding Apple Corp never entering the computer business and Apple Computers never entering the music business. Apple Computers released a new computer with MIDI support, letting computers work with instruments. This led to Apple Computers working on another agreement with Apple Corps. The agreement just rewrote the previous one stating which products regarding music broadcasting capabilities could have the Apple Computers brand on it. Not having music-related terms on Apple Computer software became an issue originally. One of the sounds on the computer was called Chime, which is a music-related term, so an audio engineer renamed the sound to sosumi, "so sue me." If not learning from the past, in 2001, Apple Computers released the iPod, and in 2003 they launched iTunes. Apple Corp sued quickly, saying that Apple Computers broke the contract they agreed on back in 1991. Apple Computer offered a 1 million dollar agreement fee to use the name on iTunes. Unexpectedly in court, the judge ruled in favor of Apple Computers, saying that Apple Computers was not marketing music but just offering content to consumers. Finally, in 2007 Apple Computer settled an agreement with Apple Corp, giving Apple Computers the right to include "Apple" on products, including those related to music production, shortly after Apple Computers changed its name to Apple Inc.