Deal ends Beatles' Apple battle

Further to our earlier news story, Technology giant Apple has reached a deal with the Beatles to end the dispute over the use of the Apple name.

Apple Inc will now take full control of the Apple brand and license certain trademarks back to the Beatles' record company Apple Corps for continued use. The two companies have been wrangling over the use of the Apple name and logo for more than 25 years. The legal battle over the trademark will now end.

Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said the court dispute had been "painful". Mr Jobs said: "We love the Beatles and it has been painful being at odds with them over these trademarks. It feels great to resolve this in a positive manner, and in a way that should remove the potential of further disagreements in the future."

Apple Corps manager Neil Aspinall added: "It is great to put this dispute behind us and move on. The years ahead are going to be very exciting times for us. We wish Apple Inc every success and look forward to many years of peaceful co-operation with them."

The dispute dates back to 1980, when the late George Harrison noticed an advert for Apple computers in a magazine.

Download deal

Two settlements, dividing use of the trademark between technology and entertainment, have been put under pressure by the expanding scope of Apple Inc. In May 2006, Apple Inc won a High Court case in London over the use of the Apple name and logo on iTunes and the iPod music player.

A judge ruled that the technology company had not violated the companies' 1991 agreement by using its logo to sell music. The terms of the agreement have not been disclosed and it is not known whether the use of the Beatles' music on Apple Inc's iTunes download store figured in the deal.

The Beatles' songs are still not available on any legal download services, but this agreement could pave the way for their anticipated appearance on iTunes.

Source: Various