The lawsuit caps a long-running legal battle between the two wealthy companies. It\u2019s the final fight in an epic legal battle over music, technology and money.<\/p>\n As was the case with the Macintosh<\/a> and again with the iPhone<\/a>, the company name chosen by Apple has been heavily contested over the years. While Apple did not incorporate until 1977<\/a>, The Beatles\u2019 record label began operating under the name Apple Corps in 1968.<\/p>\n As a Beatles fan, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs<\/a> would have known this, as did his fellow co-founder, Steve Wozniak<\/a>, who raised the issue as they batted around names for their new computer company. However, no link ever got acknowledged between the two company names.<\/p>\n Plenty of theories explain why Jobs and Woz chose \u201cApple,\u201d though. For one, Jobs previously worked in an apple orchard. Secondly, the name \u201cApple\u201d would appear at the front of alphabetized computer company directories. And thirdly, the apple symbolizes the biblical source of all knowledge<\/a>.<\/p>\n Nonetheless, it didn\u2019t take long after the launch of the Apple II<\/a> for Apple Corps to file a lawsuit protecting its name. The two sides settled in 1981. Apple Computer paid Apple Corps $80,000 and agreed not to enter the music business.<\/p>\n Problems flared up again in 1986 when Apple added MIDI and audio recording to the Mac and Apple II product lines. In February 1989, Apple Corps sued again, claiming that its 1981 agreement had been violated. In particular, the company singled out the Mac Plus<\/a>, the Mac SE<\/a> and the Mac II<\/a>, as well as the Apple IIGS, AppleCD SC drive and Apple\u2019s MIDI device.<\/p>\n Amusingly, The Beatles\u2019 lawyers suggested that Apple should change its name to \u201cBanana\u201d or \u201cPeach\u201d to avoid future problems.<\/p>\n Once again, Apple found itself forced to pay Apple Corps \u2014 this time a far more significant $26.5 million. (Apple tried to pass this bill on to its insurance company, along with $8.5 million in legal fees. This resulted in a separate lawsuit, which did not get resolved until April 1999 by a California appeals court. Apple lost again.)<\/span><\/p>\n On this occasion, Apple signed a deal that it thought offered long-term protection against Apple Corps\u2019 demands. Apple Computer could manufacture and sell devices that \u201creproduce, run, play or otherwise deliver such content\u201d so long as this wasn\u2019t on physical media.<\/p>\n![\"March](\"https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Mar30.jpg\" "\\"March")
March 30, 2006:<\/strong> A court case begins that once again pits Apple Computer against Apple Corps, aka The Beatles\u2019 record label and holding company.<\/p>\nLegal battle between Apple and Apple Corps<\/h2>\n
More fighting as Apple embraces music<\/h3>\n