Apple releases U2 album removal tool

[Arthur]

LOL!

 

Link: http://itunes.com/soi-remove

 

 

Edited September 15, 2014 by Arthur

[flyinghaggis]

Admittedly, in my opinion, U2 haven't released anything worth listening to since 1991's Achtung Baby but I think the backlash on the internet has been slightly OTT

[Arthur]

the backlash on the internet has been slightly OTT

Many iPhone owners don't even know who U2 are. That's probably a good thing!

 

whoisu2.com [NSFW]

 

 

 

I can't believe Tim Cook thought this would be a good idea?

 

www.cultofmac.com/295576/u2-apple-marketing-debacle

 

Instead of making the band’s mediocre new album an opt-in freebie, Apple jammed it down the throats of a half-billion iTunes Store customers, enraging some of the company’s most loyal fans. Whether they wanted the album or not, it’s now showing up as “purchased” in individuals’ iTunes libraries on their computers and phones.

 

When Tim Cook trotted out the Irish rockers for a limp finale to Tuesday’s big Apple Watch announcement, he called giving away the band’s new record “the largest album release of all time” — but now it looks like one of the dumbest.

 

Traditional media outlets like The Washington Post labeled the marketing stunt “rock-and-roll as dystopian junk mail.” On Twitter, where the far more important unfiltered voice of the people can be heard, a steady stream of angry tweets bemoaned Apple’s “gift” of free music.

Edited September 15, 2014 by Arthur

[synaesthesia]

This is brilliant. Priceless. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let this be the most downloaded app. Just to see the look on Bono's face.

[rich_tech]

I was a bit surprised to see it already downloaded onto my ipad when I was looking for the single of the week, fair enough if it was purchased, but already downloaded was a bit wrong I thought

[tmcd35]

Actually I thought a couple of the tracks where alright, not their best, but I've got a lot worse on my phone already. As for the rest, is right-click delete so difficult they need to release a tool for it?

[abillybob]

Haha so Apple has paid hundreds and thousands of pounds out to make this happen yet 3/4 of the population want it removed anyway!!! Good one Apple.

[tmcd35]

Haha so Apple has paid hundreds and thousands of pounds out to make this happen yet 3/4 of the population want it removed anyway!!! Good one Apple.

 

Top Google search suggests 800 million iTunes accounts. Top Google search suggests artists get $1 for every $10 album sold. So, if Apple actually paid for 1 copy for each user direct to U2 (very unlikely) that's $800,000,000. Now, if 3/4 of users keep the album - that's still 200 million users.

 

Apple paid millions not hundreds of thousands. And it was a outstanding success if 1/4 choose to keep the album. When was the last time U2 sold 200 million copies of one album? If I'm not mistaken that eclipses their total combined album sales of all previous albums!

[pcstru]

Haha so Apple has paid hundreds and thousands of pounds out to make this happen yet 3/4 of the population want it removed anyway!!! Good one Apple.

Hundreds of thousands? Reportedly $100 MILLION! Bono will be crying into his bank account.

[abillybob]

That's even worse. I haven't looked at the figures. I wonder how many people will keep the U2 album then, it'd just get on my nerves but then again I'm not to keen on them

[tmcd35]

That's even worse.

 

Is it? I doubt U2 are complaining. Apple got some publicity and will make the money back in interest quick enough - this is mere pocket change to them. Users can't really, it's not as if they have to actually pay anything for the album. The worst that comes out of this is a few people will have to select-all right-click delete.

[Joanne]

Just a harmless album now... but what next?!

[abillybob]

Is it? I doubt U2 are complaining.

 

IMO yes! I'm sure they're not.

 

My point is that Apple has always prided itself by saying it doesn't come with additional things you don't want such as bloatware, Intel Stickers and the like. This to some people will be just that something they didn't want that Apple has forced the download onto all of their consumers. It's a slippery slope is all I'm saying.

[mats]

Number of people saying "Waah, who are U2, I don't want their album" - millions

 

Number of people saying "Holy mackerel - Apple basically control this piece of hardware I paid for. Why am I supporting this?" - pretty well none.

 

Sad.

[Garacesh]

Wasn't the issue more with it automatically downloading and using up data allowances, rather than just being made available to download/activated on the account?

 

That's how it was made out to me, rather than "I have an album I don't want" rage.

[rich_tech]

I think that is what got me, I too think U2 havent done anything decent in a long long time, album is something I would never have bought at all, with regards Apple, though I know they have their "Kill Switch" should an app ever go rogue, but I was a little bit surprised that they slapped the music down onto my ipad at home without the usual asking for a password and going through the download process, that is quite creepy I felt and a bit questionable, even though I will wager that ability is granted under the 35 page T+Cs that no one reads with the device.

[mats]

Wasn't the issue more with it automatically downloading and using up data allowances, rather than just being made available to download/activated on the account?

 

That's how it was made out to me, rather than "I have an album I don't want" rage.

 

Still falls under "Holy mackerel - Apple basically control this piece of hardware I paid for. Why am I supporting this?" imo.

[Garacesh]

Still falls under "Holy mackerel - Apple basically control this piece of hardware I paid for. Why am I supporting this?" imo.

 

Not really. I was referencing the fact that the album was actually downloaded to the device, using up peoples mobile data allowances, slowing down the device or otherwise affecting its usability..

[mats]

Not really. I was referencing the fact that the album was actually downloaded to the device, using up peoples mobile data allowances, slowing down the device or otherwise affecting its usability..

 

Also known as somebody else controlling your device. Over & out.

[Norphy]

Also known as somebody else controlling your device. Over & out.

 

Also known as "Apple adding an album to your iTunes library and your device being set to automatically download new purchases". Don't you think the other phone OSes have kill switches as well?

[flyinghaggis]

I bet it never caused a viral social media hate campaign the last time U2 gave away a free album

 

[southhamster]

Wow, I have that CD! Feeling a bit old now. ...

[vikpaw]

Bad marketing backed up by bad research or none at all.

If they'd sold it as a freebie like the 12 days of Xmas, thousands would have downloaded it, just because!

Personally, I read the email saying it was going to happen and opted in, the battery drain is more hassle on 3G for me than the cost, but i have all-you-can-eat data.