Apple has become the latest defendant to settle infringement allegations from Sharing Sound over a patent for online music distribution.  Enforcement of the suit would have made operating a music download store nearly impossible. Microsoft and Napster have settled with Sterling, as well. Other targets of the original suit include:

Rhapsody, Brilliant Digital Entertainment (Kazaa), andSony Ericsson. Similar suits were also filed against Amazon, Netflix, Wa'Mart, Barnes & Noble and GameStop.

Judge David Folsom of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas signed off on the settlement on Wednesday, clearing Apple of all allegations.