Beatles And Jobs’ Apple Come Together In Court (Forbes)
Comments(0) Apple Corps’ four owners, Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison (wives of the late John Lennon and George Harrison) want Jobs to break the link between the Apple brand and music products of Apple Computer (nyse: AAPL – news – people ) and fork out millions of dollars in damages.
The two companies have thus had an ambivalent relationship ever since 1980 when George Harrison spotted an ad for Apple Computer in a magazine. Concerned that fans would think Jobs’ upstart was connected to them, the two firms eventually cut a deal and agreed to stay out of each other businesses.
But as Apple began proffering iPod music players and music through its iTunes online store, Jobs looked to be straying perilously close to the no-go area. As a 1989 settlement had defined it, the distribution of music on “physical media… such as compact discs” was verboten.
But did this count yet-to-be invented digital formats like MP3s? That will be decided when a case filed by Apple Corps in 2003 finally goes to trial at the U.K. High Court this Wednesday. Hearing the arguments will be Justice Mann, a judge who had to apparently inquire of both sides if he should disqualify himself on the grounds that he owns an iPod.
category: Popular Culture, Technology