The legal issues (which boiled down to a trademark dispute) between Apple, Inc. (the computer company) and Apple Corps. (the recording label which supports The Beatles) was solved way back in February of 2007. A year has gone by, and recent rumors suggested that Beatles tunes would at long last be made available in the iTunes catalogue.

Apple, Inc., however, has called these rumors “unsubstantiated speculation” while Apple Corps is issuing a “no comment” approach. The deal has been in the works for months, with Paul McCartney saying he expected Beatles tunes to become available through Apple, Inc. sometime in early 2008. Well…we’re waiting. What’s the deal here, Apples?

Both sides could be holding out until just the right moment to make the announcement, releasing the tunes when it seems most opportune. Perhaps…during a live broadcast of TV’s most popular show? If you want to know the fate of Beatles tracks on iTunes, American Idol might be the series to watch for breaking musical news.