April 7, 2006 12:00

The Beatles' legal battle with Apple Computer continues

The two sides fight for fruit logo in court

Photo Gallery: The Beatles
Photo: Pa Photos

The legal battle between The Beatles and Apple Computer continued yesterday (April 6) with technology firm defending its right to use its apple logo.

The Fab Four are suing Apple Computer as they claim the firm has breached 1991 agreement with their record label Apple Corps over the use of the apple logo in conjunction with music.

The original agreement between the companies said they would not stray into each other’s fields of interest, but The Beatles claim this was breached when the computer company launched iTunes.

Apple Computer however has responded at the High Court in London with their lawyer Anthony Grabiner explaining “Apple Computer has the exclusive right to use the apple mark if used to indicate the source or origin of the hardware and downloading services mentioned in the advert".

He added "distribution of digital entertainment content" was allowed under the 1991 agreement, BBC News reports. The Beatles' Apple Corp reject this, with their lawyer insisting the iPod maker has strayed into their musical territory.

"We say that Apple Computer has been using the apple mark in connection with musical content," said Apple Corps' lawyer Geoffrey Vos. "It uses those marks on its music store site at the point of sale of the music content. It signs artists on its site in just the way a record company would."

The record label want Apple Computer to stop using the fruit logo and pay unspecified damages.

A judgement in the case is expected after Easter (April 16).