SAN JOSE, California—April 1, 2006—Apple® today introduced The Beatles iPod® Special Edition as part of a partnership between Apple, The Beatles and Apple Records (Apple Corps) to create innovative new products together for the new digital music era. The new Beatles iPod holds up to 7,500 songs and features a stunning “Union Jack” flag-themed enclosure and custom engraving of all of the Fab Four band members signatures. In addition, Apple Computer and Apple Corps have reached a settlement that will allow for Apple Computer to continuing using the Apple Computer, Inc. logo in conjunction with all music operations. Specific terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“The Beatles and Apple have settled their differences and have always had a special relationship. Now they can start to redefine the music business,” said Neil Aspinall, managing director of Apple Corps. “The iPod along with iTunes is the most complete thought that we’ve seen in music in a very long time.”
“We want our audience to have a more intimate online relationship with the band, and Apple can help us do that,” said former member of The Beatles, Sir Paul McCartney. “With iPod and iTunes, Apple has created a crossroads of art, commerce and technology which feels good for both musicians and fans.”
“iPod and iTunes look like the future to me and it’s good for everybody involved in music,” said former drummer for The Beatles, Ringo Starr.
“The Beatles are the greatest band in rock and roll history and we are floored to be working with them,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We just want to make some innovative products together, and we hope fans of The Beatles will love having their very own special edition iPod.”
In addition to the new Beatles iPod, the results of the Apple Corps, Apple and The Beatles partnership include:
• All Beatles recordings are available exclusively in the US through the iTunes® Music Store;
• Apple and Apple Corps have created a breakthrough television ad featuring The Beatles performing a very special medley. The ad is a cross between Apple’s award-winning “Silhouette” ads and a music video; and
• Apple has created The Beatles’s first-of-its-kind “Digital Box Set.” The first digital box set, “The Beatles Forever,” will contain over 600 tracks including all of the band’s albums and over 75 rare and unreleased tracks. Fans of The Beatles will be able to purchase and download The Beatles Forever with just one click on the iTunes Music Store worldwide beginning today for just $349 (US).
The Beatles iPod features Apple’s patent pending Click Wheel, up to 20 hours battery life and Shuffle Songs, a command in the main menu that gives users instant access to one of the most exciting new ways to listen to their music library. All iPods work with Apple’s iTunes, providing music fans with the best digital jukebox on either a Mac® or Windows computer and access to the iTunes Music Store, the number one digital music service in the world. The Beatles iPod customers will receive a coupon for $100 off the purchase of “The Beatles Forever” available exclusively on the iTunes Music Store.*
iPod features Apple’s patent pending Auto-Sync technology that automatically downloads an entire digital music library onto iPod and keeps it up-to-date whenever it is plugged into a Mac or Windows computer. Users can transfer two songs per second from their Mac or Windows computer and can conveniently charge iPod with the included USB cable.
Pricing & Availability
The new 30GB iPod® Special Edition: The Beatles is available today for a suggested retail price of $399 (US) through the Apple Store® (http://www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The Beatles iPod includes earbud headphones, a 1.2m 30-pin to USB cable, and a CD with iTunes 6 for Mac and Windows computers. Optional accessories include the iPod Dock for $39 (US) and in-ear headphones for $39 (US).
iPod requires a Mac with USB 2.0 port and Mac OS® X version 10.3.9 or later or later (Mac OS X v10.4 or later recommended); or a Windows PC with USB 2.0 port, or USB 2.0 card and Windows 2000 (with Service Pack 4 or later), XP Home or Professional.
All iPods include rechargeable batteries which have a limited number of charge cycles and may eventually need to be replaced. Battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings. See http://www.apple.com/batteries for more information. Music capacity is based on four minutes per song and 128-Kbps AAC encoding.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning desktop and notebook computers, OS X operating system, and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital music revolution with its iPod portable music players and iTunes online music store.
The Beatles formed in their native Liverpool in 1960 with band members: Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. The band has sold more than 2.5 billion records worldwide in an extraordinary career that has firmly established them the world’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll band.
* Not available in all countries.
More information about The Beatles iPod® Special Edition can be found here.
Advertisements:
• Apple’s brand new iPod Hi-Fi speaker system. Home stereo. Reinvented. Available now for $349 with free shipping.
• Apple’s new Mac mini. Intel Core, up to 4 times faster. Starting at just $599. Free shipping.
• MacBook Pro. The first Mac notebook built upon Intel Core Duo with iLife ’06, Front Row and built-in iSight. Starting at $1999. Free shipping.
• iMac. Twice as amazing — Intel Core Duo, iLife ’06, Front Row media experience, Apple Remote, built-in iSight. Starting at $1299. Free shipping.
• iPod Radio Remote. Listen to FM radio on your iPod and control everything with a convenient wired remote. Just $49.
• iPod. 15,000 songs. 25,000 photos. 150 hours of video. The new iPod. 30GB and 60GB models start at just $299. Free shipping.
• Connect iPod to your television set with the iPod AV Cable. Just $19.
Related articles:
Tiger Woods signs long-term deal with Apple Computer as Mac OS X ‘Tiger’ spokesperson – April 01, 2005
Apple and IBM announce enterprise servers featuring Mac OS X Server – April 01, 2004
Michigan man to change name from ‘William Gates’ – April 01, 2003
April Fools D……zzzzzzzzzzzz………
hhahahaha
Anything can happen on April 1.
does anyone think this is funny?
What did Google intro today?
You almost got me
i hate april 1st
pfft!!!!
Google Romance:
http://www.google.com/romance/
I wish it were true, turn an adversary into an asset.
The Apples really should kiss & make up.
They could have synergy together, but that would further co-mingle the identities & confuse the masses. So it’ll never happen… i don’t think…
Happy April one day.
It’s a nice piece. Will prolly prove to be prescient even, after the dust settles.
How come all related articles is dated april first?
The first of many, I’m sure.
Hey, I saw on http://www.microsof.com that they’re going to quit making Windows and just specialize in OS X software now! Honest!
LOL! i allmost bought it, but it seemed a bit strange from the beginning…
Just as a FYI for the joke writer who wrote “over 600 tracks including all of the band’s albums and over 75 rare and unreleased tracks”, between the 13 studio albums, the two Past Masters, the Live at the BBC, the Tony Sheridan album, their 1961 Decca recordings, the reissues of Yellow Submarine & Let It Be, and the rare songs on the three volumes of Anthology, there are just under 325 songs, if you found 75 unreleased tracks that would total 400 songs.
Lennon solo is under 100 songs. While Ringo’s solo/All-Star band, Harrison’s solo/Wilbury’s, and McCartney’s solo/Wings works are all around 150 songs,
Oh yeah, I’m a Beatles anorak. Too bad I already own all their stuff.
*YAWN*
Nice day to go fishing methinks..
ahhh if it were only true
Page 3 on
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”LOL” style=”border:0;” />
got me
News Alert!
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”excaim” style=”border:0;” />
Beatles bring out new Album dedicated to Apple Computer:
Tracks include:
“I Wanna´ Hold Your iPod”
“It´s Been a Hard Days Nano”
“Sgt. Pepper´s Lonely Hearts Club MacBook”
“Back in the I.N.T.E.L.”
http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
No wonder we haven’t heard from MacDude.
He’s apparently working for MDN now.
Lame…
THIS was better : http://devsingh.blogsome.com/
That was funny. Good one.
For real?
wow.
You got me. Nice one.
Happy April 1st MDN!
I still think last year’s was the best – the introduction of Tiger with Tiger Woods as a sponsor…
I’m with many of you, I do hate April Fools day…
MDN didn’t have me for a sec., but this did make me chuckle…. could’ve sworn Steve hinted at something special at MacWorld, arriving for Apple’s B-day, maybe, hopefully Monday?
Dammmm I thought it was real–it should be.
Congrats MDN. Well done!
If they gave the Beatles, Oh–and Yoko Ono one half of all profits on the above scenario they’d probably get a deal.
Well, maybe 3/4s.
I don’t even have to read this article to say, “April Fools.”
Nice try.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />
Apple rarely introduces products on Saturdays.
Hey it’s my birthday!
I ain’t fallin’ for no banana in my tailpipe
Phil – Is that you? Man, they told me it wasn’t you. I told them it was Phil.
Peace.
Actually, I think this was a pretty cool post.
This is EXACTLY what Apple Corps should be doing, and a nice way for MDN to make the point.
MW: “wall”, as in Wonderwall
The Beatles will never be able to cut such a deal with AAPL, nor even get their songs on iTunes, as long as Jobs is running the show. Just look how Jobs handled iCon by pulling all Wiley books off Apple’s shelves.
Game over for The Parasites.
In other news today:
Piper Jaffrey and Shaw Wu predict Apple’s shares will drop to $50, David Pogue says bad things about the Macintosh and Apple releases an iPod that doesn’t scratch.
News flash: Microsoft shuts up about an unreleased product and Steve Balmer stops sweating.
MDN, that was terrible. Why even bother?
MDN should send Apple Corps a box of tissues for all of their issues so that they can pull their collective heads out of their asses and get over themselves. Then we can all move on.
Tick, tock
tick, tock
tick, tock
tick, tock
tick, tock
dang, dang
tick, tock
tick, tock
tick, tock
no announcement
tick, tock
tick, tock
tick, tock…
MDN–THAT was rotten cruel and mean.
I was whipping out my credit card with one hand and clicking links with the other so fast I think it was smokin’ and flames had begun.
If my old favorite band would buy a stinkin’ clue, they would figure out that if they did exactly this iPod/music deal, they would make more money for themselves in the long run than paying lawyers to manage lawsuits. It would be the smartest thing that could be done financially.
The Beatles started Apple Corps because they didn’t like the corporate record producing monopolies. Why can’t they see the same cause in Apple Computer. TRUCE ALREADY!!
BUY A CLUE FAB FOUR–or TWO I guess these days.
To the remaining Beatles, you are becoming what you once hated.
LMAO!!!
That was hilarious!
“The Beatles will never be able to cut such a deal with AAPL, nor even get their songs on iTunes, as long as Jobs is running the show. Just look how Jobs handled iCon by pulling all Wiley books off Apple’s shelves.”
Not true. The Steve LOVES the Beatles, and has said so publicly many times.
MacDude hired by MacDailyNews
Reutérss – The often irritating and thought provoking MacDude was recently hired by MDN to serve as anti-Apple propoganda minster on the companies website it was reveled today.
“He brings such alternate views to the usual pro-Apple cattle fodder we spit out daily that we just had to hire him”
MacDude has stated he will immediatly initialize a propoganda message specifically designed to recruit new anti-Apple personel.
“I will take this war to a whole new level!” – MacDude
Apple has reportly offered to pay double what MDN is paying him to work for them instead.
“Never! Apple must die and it’s legions of brainwashed cult puppies freed from their mindless slavery!”
Asked about what will MacDude do with his PowerMac G5 and 30″ Apple display:
“We gut both, put in hot coals and have a barbeque over their charred remains.”
S. Ballmer reporting.
Nice joke pal.. you got us all
Embarrassingly enough, I was suckered all the way – glad I clicked that last link……..
In other news:
“The Beatles and Apple…….have always had a special relationship.”
IN COURT!
woz up no 30 big huff big down no new woz up
“Apple has reportly offered to pay double what MDN is paying him to work for them instead.”
Word is that both Taco Bell and a California sugar beet farm are also looking to hire him.
That’s the best April Fools joke I’ve read in years. The best part is that it would actually be a pretty good idea.
If this were a real press release, there’s no way you’d have to read almost half of it before there’s any mention of the Beatles’ songs being available on the iTunes store. That would be in the headline.
This is a decent hoax, but I am puzzled as to why anyone thinks it’s “funny.”
Hahaha….F*CK YOU MDN….not…..freakin……funny…..
MDN MW: “Little” as in, more than a little pissed…
Nice joke MDN ! But it could be the truth on the long run.
Yeah right. You gotta get up pretty early in the afternoon to put one over me.
Trouble is that it’s what many of us would actually like to see — so more of an April Tease than a Fool.
Still, we live in hope…
MacRaven hit it right on the head….I did the same drill, trying buy two, one as a collectors…and seriously, Steve and Paul need to do this deal…MacR’s caught all of the high points perfectly…
Do it, now, there would be 5 million out the door by months end…
I doubt any good result from the Apple Comp. and Apple Corp. law suit.
How about the real news about iphone problems?
I played the drooms.
I bit. Forgot about April 1st. Would be nice though if it were true….
Damn….
If this had been true, then the High Court proceeedings in London would have been merely a publicity stunt, given the lead time it would have taken to produce a Beatles iPod. Any judge, even an iPod wielding one, would have been incensed by such antics and may possibly had both parties up on a charge of contempt.
Apple really should do a Beatles Edition iPod.
Sony/ATV owns the music. Why not strike a deal? I don’t see what the surviving bugs could do about it.
It’d be a great “screw you” to Apple Records, and would prove a point in the current lawsuit.
Yeah. All I did was read the headlines and didn’t bother with the rest of your hard work in fooling the rest! LOL!
MUWAHA HA HA HA!
On a side note, if the biggest supplier of MP3 players can actually manage something like this, holy crap! Yeah, I would buy a Beatles Edition iPod with their entire music library in a heartbeat(les).
You got me. Well written and absolutley believable.
I liked it. And I agree, this is exactly what Apple Corp and Apple Computer should be doing together.
I wonder who gave MDN the idea?
My, that’s worse than DC Comics…
…I guess it takes Juan to know Juan.
HUHUHUHUHUHU! <o.O>
However, a secret codicil in this agreement makes the iPod play songs from the Plastic Ono band at random. A picture of a white rose floating in perfume inside a black derby hat flashes on the screen. After one year this secret file makes your iPod go silent forever.
ok ale pralka to jest coś ale Pralki
Does anyone know how many “gb” is the iPod?
This was probably one of the worst april fools jokes i have ever seen. I hate whoever made it because they got my hopes up….jerks…
I hate you.
You guys are jerks, and I say this for that beatles ipod LIE! You got my hopes up and know my dreams are crushed, JERKS!
I wish it were true. I can’t wait for the Beatles IPOD.