Apple's 12 Days of Christmas giveaway kicks off in Europe and Canada
Apple has once again launched its 12 Days of Christmas app to mark the start of its annual holiday promotion that offers free songs, music videos, apps and books to residents of Canada and parts of Europe.
Since the promotion does not extend to U.S.-based customers, the app is only available to download from iTunes stores in Canada, the U.K., and a few other select European nations.
Now in its fourth year, the 12-day promotion runs from December 26 to January 6 and surprises users of the app with a free digital download from iTunes each day. This year's giveaway begins with a free copy of Coldplay's live EP from the recent Apple-sponsored iTunes Festival in London.
The album, like each day's freebee, will only be available to download for 24 hours, Apple says. iTunes users who don't have an iOS device can also sign up for daily email alerts and access the content through iTunes on a computer.
Since the promotion does not extend to U.S.-based customers, the app is only available to download from iTunes stores in Canada, the U.K., and a few other select European nations.
Now in its fourth year, the 12-day promotion runs from December 26 to January 6 and surprises users of the app with a free digital download from iTunes each day. This year's giveaway begins with a free copy of Coldplay's live EP from the recent Apple-sponsored iTunes Festival in London.
The album, like each day's freebee, will only be available to download for 24 hours, Apple says. iTunes users who don't have an iOS device can also sign up for daily email alerts and access the content through iTunes on a computer.
Comments
Assume their is some obscure American law that doesn't allow Apple to offer this in the US.
Because Americans use all our disposable income already with no sense of saving, so why give it for free?
Yeah, that's actually probably it.
thanks to advise
For some very strange reason Apple substitutes "Holiday" for "Christmas" in the US.
Well, there are more holidays celebrated in the US that Christmas. "Holiday" is fine by me.
Well, there are more holidays celebrated in the US that Christmas. "Holiday" is fine by me.
Is Apple is part of The War on Christmas?
Just ask an American. Almost no one, including the author of this article, understands that December 25 is the first day of Christmas and January 5 is the twelfth. Count the days: the twelve days of Christmas are: December 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and January 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; that's the last seven days of December and the first five days of January; 7 + 5 = 12.
January 6 is Epiphany.
Has to be the only time a year when Apples international customers get a better deal than their American ones.
Having seen that the first gift is a Coldplay EP, I'd say it's the Americans who are getting the better deal.
Has to be the only time a year when Apples international customers get a better deal than their American ones.
Assume their is some obscure American law that doesn't allow Apple to offer this in the US.
They'd probably get sued for violating "separation of Church and State."
Ugh. Please include US for this one day. I wonder why they never include us? Because Americans use all our disposable income already with no sense of saving, so why give it for free?
It's 12 days (thus being called the "12 days of Christmas" giveaway) and given that during the other 353 days of the year non US residents are screwed left and right by the studios, labels etc when it comes to this kind of thing, it's more than fair that the US gets screwed for 12.
The reason that Apple isn't having a 12 Days of Christmas promotion in the US is probably because most Americans don't know when that is. Canadians and Europeans know because the second day of Christmas is a legal holiday there. We have to prepare for things before they happen. The mall puts up decorations and plays music to get us in the mood, but we're the ones who confuse the preparation for the event. That's why most Americans think Christmas is over as soon as they clean up the wrapping paper and wash the dishes after dinner.
Just ask an American. Almost no one, including the author of this article, understands that December 25 is the first day of Christmas and January 5 is the twelfth. Count the days: the twelve days of Christmas are: December 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and January 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; that's the last seven days of December and the first five days of January; 7 + 5 = 12.
January 6 is Epiphany.
Don't be so sure. Lots of American's celebrate the 12 days ('Have a Festive Twelfth Night' is a common greeting in some areas).
Well, there are more holidays celebrated in the US that Christmas. "Holiday" is fine by me.
Yes, but "The Twelve Days of Your Generic mid-WInter Holidays" doesn't have the same ring.
They'd probably get sued for violating "separation of Church and State."
Really? Since when is separation of church and state relevant to Apple?
I can't help but think that Apple really love Coldplay... A lot.
(Lion 10.7.2)
I got all excited, but it doesn't seem to be available in Canada after all.
In Canada, it's done through "Corporate Sponsors". Link with the list of sponsors is here: http://www.apple.com/ca/itunes/12days/
Unfortunately, none of them seem to have turned on the link yet. The closest is Hot103 and Virgin which both say "Coming Soon".
Not giving up that easily, I searched for the Coldplay album in iTunes, and it's there for free, I'm downloading it now. So it looks like if you know the give-away, you can bypass everything. Here's the link to the album: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/itu...11/id478017658
...Mike
I got all excited, but it doesn't seem to be available in Canada after all.
I had an email from Apple waiting for me this morning. Clicked on the link and it took me to the page in iTunes. Worked fine. Three songs and three videos.
Today the first present was 'given' a download of an Coldplay iTunes track....
You click on it further and get a great message:
Your request can't be processed.
This article is not available in the Dutch (I presume Belgium flemish :-) ) store.
There goes my 'first' present. LOL
Yep great treat (NOT), I installed the 12 day bla bla bla on my iPad.
Today the first present was 'given' a download of an Coldplay iTunes track....
You click on it further and get a great message:
Your request can't be processed.
This article is not available in the Dutch (I presume Belgium flemish :-) ) store.
There goes my 'first' present. LOL
With Apple, you get what you pay for.