The Beatles have lost their court battle against Apple
Computer over its iTunes music download service.
Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the families of John Lennon and
George Harrison had taken took Apple Computer to court, after
claiming Apple went back on a previous trademark deal not to enter
the music business.
The Beatles brought the action on behalf of their Apple Corps
music label. But the court said that Apple used the apple logo in
association with its store, not the music, and so was not in
breach.
The Beatles' music label had sought High Court damages and an
order to prevent Apple Computer from using the Apple logo in its
music operations.
With its iPod music player devices and iTunes music download
service, Apple is the market leader in digital music.
Apple Corps said the iTunes operation broke an agreement the two
sides negotiated in 1991, to settle a previous dispute about the
use of the Apple Computer logo.
