The Beatles’ Apple Corp, sued the computer company in 1981 over the use of the Apple corporate name. A settlement was reached in that suit, where as Apple Computer paid the Beatles owned record company an undisclosed amount of money and agreed to use their name only for computer products. 

In 1991, Apple Corp once again sued the computer company over what they felt was a violation of their earlier settlement, when Apple Computer used their logo on “music-synthesizing products.” 

The two companies once again settled the suit with a new agreement that spelled out the use of both companies name and logo and reportedly reiterated the clause barring Apple Computer from entering the music business and using the name strictly for computer products. 

The Beatles company feel that Apple computer violated that agreement when they launched their iTunes Music Store back in April. They are suing to have the court enforce the 1991 agreement and also for monetary damages. 

"Unfortunately Apple and Apple Corps now have differing interpretations of this agreement and will need to ask a court to resolve this dispute," said Katie Cotton, an Apple Computer spokeswoman.

Some legal experts feel that Apple Computer sidestepped the agreements by calling their online music distribution company the “iTunes Music Store” instead of the “Apple Music Store”. Since the computer company did not use the Apple name in the title of the new company, some feel that the 1991 agreement is a non-issue.  But ultimately the courts will decide; that is, if another settlement isn’t reached between the two companies and the suit reaches a court room.

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