Apple Corp

Apple in U.K. Trademark Suit with Beatles' Apple Corp Record Label

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 25, 2004 - 7:57am.
London -- Apple Computer went to court in England on Wednesday to argue for its right to continue to use the "Apple" trademark in the U.K., where the company has a past agreement with the Beatles' record label -- also named Apple -- not to use the trademark in connection with the music business, Reuters reported. U.K.-based Apple Corp. says that the computer maker breached the companies' 1991 agreement with the launch of its iTunes Music Store. In court Wednesday, Apple Computer argued first that the case should rightfully be heard in California, and not England, and also that its agreement with the record label includes use of the Apple name for "data transmission services," which the company says encompasses the music download store. The hearing on the trademark dispute is expected to last three days.