The minute we heard that Apple gave away free music to every iTunes account in the world we were shocked, to say the least. Our first thought was the cost and how much they had to pay U2 for a HALF BILLION downloads of their album Songs of Innocence. Our second thought was about how those HALF BILLION iTunes users were going to feel about Apple just dropping free music into their private accounts.
Well, now we know the answer to both of those questions. Apple paid U2 approximately $100 million to give the album away. As far as how users feel about it, there were so many complaints that Apple had to launch a special removal tool so unhappy customers could delete the album out of their iTunes.
If you are one of those unhappy people who feels Apple is being very “Big Brother-ish”, or maybe you are just not a fan of U2, it’s pretty easy to get the album out of your account. There is something Apple would like you to know first. Once it’s removed, it’s gone. You will have to pay for it if you want it back.
They have set up a special link for the removal tool and that is where you will see this: “Once the album has been removed from your account, it will no longer be available for you to redownload as a previous purchase. If you later decide you want the album, you will need to get it again. The album is free to everyone until October 13, 2014, and will be available for purchase after that date.” 
It was 10 years ago that U2 did a commercial spot for the iPod and this free download was to commemorate that time in history. Also, from what we understand, U2 plays to work with Apple over the next couple of years to change the way we listen to music. We will patiently wait to see what comes up next from this team of big business and a few musicians.
Via Forbes
Apple has released a tool that allows users to get rid of that U2 album they never asked for, in a move that shouldn’t surprise anyone.
You can stand on any side of the iOS vs Android war, and that’s great. But the one thing Android did for you, they never forced you to listen to U2. Or anyone, for that matter. Apple learned the hard way to not force music down people’s throats as the Internet erupted in rage when U2′s latest album, Songs of Innocence, appeared in their phones, iTunes lists and devices without ever asking the users.
Well, now Apple has set up a support website to help people get rid of the album and ensure it’s never downloaded again. Deleting this album means that it won’t show up in the “purchases” tab, so if a user ever wants to download it again, they’ll have to go through the buying process from the top. Songs of Innocence is free, and will remain so until October 13th, after which it the exclusivity deal ends and users will have to buy it regularly.
It really says something about the Internet’s hatred of U2 as users talk about this record as if it was a virus or spyware program. There are people out there who literally, when given the choice of having a record for free or not, would rather delete it and never hear from it again! People would pay to not have to listen to U2, and that is just crazy. Imagine if Apple had gifted its users with a Nickelback album instead.
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In case the newly announced Leica M simply isn't astronomically expensive enough -- or charity-minded enough, as it were -- Apple's senior VP of design Jony Ive is working with the German photography company on a one-off version set to be auctioned for charity. Given the M's baseline price of €6,200 (about $8,100), we're guessing the one-of-a-kind version designed by one of the world's most influential designers is going to fetch a pretty penny at auction. Like, "sell off one of your extra homes" kind of money. Leica head Dr. Andreas Kaufmann announced the collaboration last night during a Leica event at Photokina -- an event that Ive himself was reportedly set to appear at -- where he said that the auction will be done with U2 frontman (and longtime friend of Ive) Bono Vox. The latest Leica M debuts in early 2013, though we won't see the fruits of Ive and Leica's collaboration for some time as the camera's design has yet to begin.
Filed under: Cameras
Apple's Jony Ive tapped to design one-off Leica M for charity auction originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 10:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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