Apple iTunes keeps their logo

Apple Computer won a court battle over Apple Corps allowing them to continue using the Apple Logo for their iTunes Store. The High Court of London with Justice Edward Mann, dismissed a complaint by Apple Corps who objected to the Apple logo being used by the iTunes online music store.

Abbey Road Studios in London

The legal issues began in 1978 when Apple Records objected to an Apple logo being used by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.  A settlement was reached in 1981 for $80,000 and the agreement that Apple Computer would stay out of the music business.  Who would have thunk it eh?  Made sense at the time.  Ten years later however when computers started to play MIDI music Apple Corps Ltd. sued again.  The Mac was hot in 1991 so Apple Computer paid $26.5 million for a new agreement.

Apple Corps is still owned by Paul, Ringo and the widows of John and George but is managed by Neil Aspinall their one time road manager.  Behind the scenes, Aspinall has been working on special releases of the Beatles catalog digitally re-mastered specifically for downloading.  He’s no fool on the hill.