Beatles' Apple Corps After Apple Again

For the third time, Apple Corps, the company that represents the business interests of the Beatles, and Apple Computer will meet in court. Apple Corps is accusing Apple of breaking a 1991 agreement by selling music online, and will argue its case in London this week.

Apple Computer says the agreement allows for the sale of online data transfers. Thus, through the way iTunes works, it can sidestep that provision, it claims.

Apple Corps first sued Apple in 1980 over use of the Apple name. The companies settled for a small sum and Apple agreed to stay out of the music business. In 1989, Apple Corps sued again over music software that enabled Macs to play and edit tracks.

The third suit against Apple's iTunes began in 2003.

While the company that controls all of the Beatles' recordings seems rather quick to sue Apple for anything musically related, Apple Corps has no online presence at all. Beatles tracks are nowhere to be found on any music service.

Rumors have repeatedly surfaced that the two sides were aiming to settle and allow Beatles tracks to make their way onto iTunes. However, both companies deny any talks.

In an interesting twist to the case, the judge presiding over the case, Justice Edward Mann, is an avid iPod user. Neither side has asked for a recusal.