4 ms·

> A counterexample is Apple Computer and Apple Music (the latter owned by the Beatles). In this case it was decided that, because they were in different busines

by drcube 13y ago

> A counterexample is Apple Computer and Apple Music (the latter owned by the Beatles). In this case it was decided that, because they were in different businesses, there was no great likelihood of public confusion. That's a bad example because Apple Computer eventually did enter the music business, with itunes, contrary to an earlier court's ruling that they stay out of that industry. I think they ended up just paying Apple Music a ton of money. So that's basically a case of infringing trademark, but having enough money to pay off the company whose mark you're infringing. As we all know, enough money solves any problem.

lutusp 13y ago
> That's a bad example because Apple Computer eventually did enter the music business, with itunes, contrary to an earlier court's ruling that they stay out of that industry. I would argue that that makes it a good example -- they eventually crossed the line and the issue had to be revisited. BTW thanks for posting and correcting the example. > I think they ended up just paying Apple Music a ton of money. That makes it a perfect example -- originally there was no issue or conflict, but eventually the two entities collided. > As we all know, enough money solves any problem. So it seems. I think it's a perfect example of how these things sort themselves out, because over time, it visited both extremes -- not an issue, then very much an issue.
- drcube 13y ago
  You're right, maybe that does make it a good example. No criticism intended. This wasn't a one time thing, by the way. There were a whole bunch of suits between the two companies over the years, I think starting way back in the 70s. It's interesting how Apple Music was initially the big company in the dispute, and Apple computer the little guy getting pushed around. Watch how over the years, the power dynamic completely reverses itself, until Apple, inc. (no longer Apple Computer) is the one calling the shots. (Okay, found a link. It's "Apple Corps", not "Apple Music", by the way.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Corps_v._Apple_Computer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Corps_v._Apple_Computer
DerekL 13y ago
Apple Computer also got sued by Apple Corp whenever they tried to add music synthesis hardware to their computers.

by drcube 13y ago

lutusp 13y ago

> That's a bad example because Apple Computer eventually did enter the music business, with itunes, contrary to an earlier court's ruling that they stay out of that industry. I would argue that that makes it a good example -- they eventually crossed the line and the issue had to be revisited. BTW thanks for posting and correcting the example. > I think they ended up just paying Apple Music a ton of money. That makes it a perfect example -- originally there was no issue or conflict, but eventually the two entities collided. > As we all know, enough money solves any problem. So it seems. I think it's a perfect example of how these things sort themselves out, because over time, it visited both extremes -- not an issue, then very much an issue.

drcube 13y ago
You're right, maybe that does make it a good example. No criticism intended. This wasn't a one time thing, by the way. There were a whole bunch of suits between the two companies over the years, I think starting way back in the 70s. It's interesting how Apple Music was initially the big company in the dispute, and Apple computer the little guy getting pushed around. Watch how over the years, the power dynamic completely reverses itself, until Apple, inc. (no longer Apple Computer) is the one calling the shots. (Okay, found a link. It's "Apple Corps", not "Apple Music", by the way.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Corps_v._Apple_Computer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Corps_v._Apple_Computer

DerekL 13y ago

Apple Computer also got sued by Apple Corp whenever they tried to add music synthesis hardware to their computers.