With a little help from my⦠Apple Computers

With reference to the recent ruling in Apple vs Apple, I’d like to add the comment that it is all about corporate greed and not about customers.

The 24-year-long trademark dispute has always been about Apple Corporation wanting a slice of Apple Computers’ profits. And you can see why when they increased by 41% on earnings of &£229m during the first quarter of this year. You can hear Apple Corporation saying: “How can we get more money for doing nothing?”

No wonder Steve Jobs reportedly once described the music industry as “greedy”. It has never really been about Apple Computers trying to use Apple Corps’ faded recording glory to attract or deceive customers to iTunes, as these downloaders weren’t even born when the Beatles were making a trip down Penny Lane in their yellow submarine.

The fact is the old granny smith Apple Corps brand is essentially dead. Indeed, since the only thing keeping it alive is the promotional oxygen of the Apple Computers brand which was last year valued at nearly $8bn (&£4.2bn), then Apple Corps should be paying Apple Computers for maintaining the brand’s exposure. Now what would the judge say about that?

Vince Mitchell

Professor of consumer marketing

Cass Business School

City University

London EC1