Looks like the Apple vs. Apple saga has finally drawn to a close. Apple Corps (Music) sued Apple (Computer) years ago claiming that an agreement that Apple (Computer) entered with Apple Corps when they incorporated allowed them to use the name “Apple,” as long as they never got into the music business. This was long before iTunes, and most importantly the iPod. So, with the rise of the iPod and the iTunes Music Store, Apple Corps claimed that Apple (Computer) was now getting into the music “business,” and sued for copyright infringements and trademark violations. Apple (Computer) countered that they were simply selling music, not in the business of producing music and creating music, and after all, would never ever be confused with the historic Apple Corps label, that is today controlled by Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the families of George Harrison and John Lennon.

The court battle raged on, with the possibility that if Apple (Computer) lost the battle, they may very well have th spin off iTunes and the iPod into a separate company under a different name, or change the company name altogether; but most technology analysts didn’t expect Apple Music to win its court battle against Apple (Computer).

Well, the verdict is in, and Apple Music has lost their court battle against Apple (Computer). Whether or not they’ll try to appeal the ruling or take it further in court is likely (they’ll appeal), but for the time being, Apple (Computer) is safe, and recent news that Michael Jackson, who owns the rights to a significant portion of the Beatles song catalog is interested in selling them, and that Capitol Music executives are planning on readying many popular Beatles songs for digital delivery on a music serivce that may include iTunes, likely doesn’t help matters.

The two sides are still at it, apparently:

Apple Corps manager Neil Aspinall said: “With great respect to the trial judge, we consider he has reached the wrong conclusion.

“We felt that during the course of the trial we clearly demonstrated just how extensively Apple Computer had broken the agreement.

“We will accordingly be filing an appeal and putting the case again to the Court of Appeal.”

Apple Computer chief executive Steve Jobs said: “We are glad to put this disagreement behind us.

“We have always loved The Beatles, and hopefully we can now work together to get them on the iTunes Music Store.”

So while the issue seems to be settled for now, we may have just seen the first round of Apple vs. Apple, and this court battle could stretch on for years to come. Here’s hoping it won’t, but we’ll have to see.

[ BBC News :: Beatles Lose Apple Court Battle ]