The story today:
The Beatles’ record company Apple Corps Ltd. has sued Apple Computer Inc., claiming the computer maker’s iTunes products violate a 1991 agreement that the Beatles said meant the Silicon Valley computer maker would stay out of the music business.
When Steve Jobs co-founded Apple Computer in 1977, he is said to have chosen the name in part as a tribute to the Beatles. The 1991 deal dealt with the future use of the name “Apple” and of both companies’ well-known logos. (full story)
Steve Jobs named the Apple Computer Company after the Apple Records Label, home of the Beatles, back in the day as sort of a tribute. He had to sign some agreements saying that they would never get into the music business so that the two companies would never be confused.
The Beatles have sued them once and got a lot of money from them. It could happen again.
My only problem is that at this point in time, could anyone really confuse the two companies? In fact, do many people under the age of 30 even know that the Beatles are on the “Apple Records” label. Doubtful.