The exclusion of The Beatles’ expansive library from iTunes has been a thorn in the side of Apple Inc. ever since the launch of the digital music marketplace. Today, the two companies bearing the moniker of “Apple” reached a settlement that could open the door for John, Paul, George, and Ringo to make their way online.
After all this time, it appears that The Long and Winding Road may finally lead to iTunes for The Beatles.
It all goes back to 1991, when Apple Inc. and Apple Corps entered into a trademark agreement concerning the use of their apple shaped logos, a settlement which then found the progenitor of the wildly popular iTunes music store as a company operating solely within the realms of computers and software.
With the venture of Apple Inc. into the music sector, Apple Corps claimed that the company had violated the terms of their trademark agreement.
The dispute effectively blocked the sale and distribution of any Beatles content through the online music service; an exclusion that many music enthusiasts felt diminished the overall quality of the iTunes library
With a new trademark agreement in place, hopes that the musical stylings of The Beatles will grace the halls of iTunes are rekindled.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs commented on the settlement, “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.”
Neil Aspinall, manager of Apple Corps adds, “It is great to put this dispute behind us and move on.”
“The years ahead are going to be very exciting times for us. We wish Apple Inc. every success and look forward to many years of peaceful co-operation with them.”
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Joe is a staff writer for Murdok. Visit Murdok for the latest ebusiness news.
