Apple now officially owns Beatles' Apple Corps logo

Tech Industry

by Shara Tibken 25 October 2012 2:44 pm BST

@sharatibken

The image on the cover of the technical manual for Apple's very first computer suggests not circuit boards and CRT monitors, but science, knowledge, and inspiration. Note the apple hanging in the tree. Courtesy of the Computer History Museum

Apple may have reached a trademark settlement with the Beatles' music company several years ago, but it didn't own the Apple Corps logo until now.

According to Patently Apple, a company -- named Apple Box Productions Sub Inc. -- opposed Apple owning the logo, but Apple Box wasn't successful with its complaint.

Apple was granted the registered trademark yesterday, the site said, citing the Canadian IP Office database.

Apple battled Apple Corps, the Beatles' holding company and owner of the band's record label, for years over trademark issues. They finally reached a settlement in early 2007 that determined Apple Inc. would own all trademarks and logos related to the name "Apple" and would license them accordingly to the Apple Corps music company.

In a statement at the time of the settlement, Steve Jobs said that "we love The Beatles, and it has been painful being at odds with them over these trademarks." Jobs added that "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."