Apple announced that it will give out a 10 percent bonus to App Store and iTunes users when they load up funds to their Apple ID accounts.
The iPhone maker sent out an email telling users that if they add money directly to their Apple IDs using their debit or credit cards through March 14, they can get a 10 percent bonus. These can then be used to buy stuff from iTunes, iCloud, and the App Store.
The offer is valid for fund transfers ranging from $1 to $200. This means that users who will load up to $200 to their Apple IDs will get an additional $20 for free.
To add funds to Apple IDs, users need to access their device's settings:
- Look for iTunes & App Store under Settings.
- Open Apple ID, then tap View Apple ID. A prompt will ask the user to sign in using Apple ID login credentials.
- Tap Add Funds to Apple ID.
- Choose the amount that needed to add, or tap Other to enter a specific amount.
- Tap Next to confirm the selection.
An advertisement regarding the Apple promo can also be found on the Add Funds screen.
Desktop iTunes users can also receive the 10 percent bonus.
What's The Catch?
Apple said the promo is available to all Apple ID users in the United States from March 10 to March 14. Germany also has a similar offer but for a 15 percent bonus. No promos were offered to users in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
App Store and iTunes users can only avail of the offer once. The next time funds are transferred to their Apple IDs, there will no longer be any bonuses added to their account.
Is iTunes Going Extinct?
iTunes is a media app where Apple users can purchase and play music files on their iPhones. Unlike Apple Music, iTunes doesn't offer a subscription service.
Rumors about iTunes shutting down circulated around the web last year. Apple would phase out the music app by the end of March 2019, likely due to the popularity of other services such as Spotify and Apple Music.
However, an Apple spokesperson denied that the company had any plans to end the music service.
Reports of iTunes' supposed imminent demise were already making the rounds as early as 2016.
In 2017, an article said the iPhone maker was leaning toward giving all iTunes users Apple Music accounts and have downloaded songs transferred to the streaming service. Apple would have given these new users a free three-month trial to get acquainted to Apple Music.
"The phase-out strategy also includes a clever transition towards Apple Music, the company's streaming platform, according to one source close to the transition," the report said.
"According to details shared, the company would migrate a user's iTunes download collection towards a brand-new Apple Music account."
Apple shot down these talks, stating that the reports were "simply not true."
In 2014, the number of iTunes accounts reportedly reached 800 million, an impressive feat considering the service had 575 million just a year ago. Apple CEO Tim Cook called the growth "staggering."
