[Archive 2006-05-08] Apple Corps loses court case against Apple Computer

Historical archive — originally published 2006-05-08. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

The Beatles' label Apple Corps lost its court case against Apple Computer today in the High Court. Apple Corps argued that the iTunes Music Store was a breach of the 1991 settlement reached between the two parties. The 1991 agreement was that Apple Computer would not sell music branded with an apple. Mr Justice Anthony Mann agreed with Apple Computer's defence that, while the iTunes Music Store is branded, the music it sells is not - "I conclude that the use of the Apple logo ... does not suggest a relevant connection with the creative work." During the case Apple Corps showed the court just how many times the Apple Computer logo appeared during a typical download. The song purchased during the demonstration was Le Freak by Chic.

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