UK-based Apple Corps, which handles business dealings of the legendary Liverpool-based pop group The Beatles, has finally ended its dispute with Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, California over use of the Apple Corps’ Granny Smith logo, which was originally owned by The Beatles. According to a new report, Apple for an undisclosed sum has secured rights to use the Apple Corps logo in association with music, computers, entertainment, multimedia and more. Matter of fact, Apple, Inc. has actually gained entire ownership over all trademarks which included or are related to the word “Apple”…
Furthermore, the iPhone maker is now entitled to re-license these trademarks back to Apple Corps for continued use separately from Apple, Inc itself, reports Patently Apple.
You may recall that Apple in March 2011 filed for the Apple Corps logo trademark in Europe under 14 international classifications. This was the result of a settlement dating back to February 5, 2007, between Apple Computer, Inc. and Apple Corps, with each party paying for its own legal fees.
The late Steve Jobs commented at the time:
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.
It was reported at the time that Apple paid a whopping $500 million to secure those rights. Today’s news has been confirmed by the Canadian IP Office which has disclosed that the Apple Corps logo is now officially a registered trademark of Apple Inc.
Apple under Tim Cook’s leadership seems to be less sue-happy than a Steve Jobs Apple. Just recently, the iPhone maker expeditiously resolved a potentially unpleasant accusation by the Swiss Federal Railways that the new iPad clock app copies the organization’s iconic clock design.
I guess that’s a good sign and that Apple going forward will be more willing to settle other legal disputes.
Wouldn’t that benefit all of us?
