Secret settlement for Apple, Eminem case

Stephen Withers
Monday, 05 October 2009 03:44

Business IT - Technology

The legal dispute between Apple and companies associated with rapper Eminem has been settled before the court reached a verdict.

A dispute has been simmering between Apple and companies associated with Eminem for a couple of years. The case had gone to court, but no verdict had been reached.

Instead, it seems that a confidential settlement was reached late last week. Various reports from the US say that after the trial had been running for five days, the parties managed to reach an agreement.

The settlement is supposed to be to the satisfaction of all parties, but that's probably another one for the "he would say that, wouldn't he?" file.

The dispute arose when music publisher Eight Mile Style claimed Universal Music subsidiary Aftermath Records was not entitled to enter into contracts regarding digital downloads of its works.

Apple's position was that it had an appropriate agreement with Aftermath, and that Eight Mile Style's agreement with Aftermath included the right to exploit recordings in any medium.

Apple reportedly disclosed that Eight Mile Style received $US0.091 per download. Eight Mile Style claimed that any royalties it may have received in respect of iTunes sales were concealed among payments for authorised uses of the material.