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Apple Launches '1 Billion App Countdown' Promotion
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some math about the timer
I'm assuming the function was linear here, but its more than likely not. I got the equation, after timing the approximate number of apps per 60 seconds and finding some slope, of 1,000,000,000=83.33333x+929,347,000. X then equals approximately 9.816843404028278 days, if I did it all right. However, its probably more of an exponential type of graph so I'd say we're looking at somewhere between now and late on the 19th as the time when it officially hits 1,000,000,000.
Feel free to dispute my findings.
The above post trumps anything I did.
I'm assuming the function was linear here, but its more than likely not. I got the equation, after timing the approximate number of apps per 60 seconds and finding some slope, of 1,000,000,000=83.33333x+929,347,000. X then equals approximately 9.816843404028278 days, if I did it all right. However, its probably more of an exponential type of graph so I'd say we're looking at somewhere between now and late on the 19th as the time when it officially hits 1,000,000,000.
Feel free to dispute my findings.
The above post trumps anything I did.
Technically, Apple is taxed on it as income and it is transferred to the winner in the form of a product. You can receive up to a certain amount (at least in the US) as a gift without having to report it as income. However, because this gift is neither transferable or directly redeemable for cash, I'm not sure how the rules vary here.
In case someone in Germany wins the prize, you don't have to pay any taxes. Doesn't matter whether you win 100M in the lottery or a gift card from Apple, all profits from games of chance are completely taxfree.
Whatever tax bracket it puts you in when combined with your standard income. I don't think prizes are treated any differently.
Province of Quebec
They are excluding the Province of Quebec (in which I live), BUT WHY!? The whole world can participate but not us! srsly...
They are excluding the Province of Quebec (in which I live), BUT WHY!? The whole world can participate but not us! srsly...
should be able to fill out the form on apples website even if you do not have an itunes account you still can register for the prizes.
My daughter does not have an itunes account (She uses my account) and she was able to register to win....
Wow, a $10,000 iTunes card would be amazing. That could last years if you used it wisely. I wouldn't mind getting a new MBP either.
Actually I don't blame them - generally many contests exclude Quebec because of the draconian language laws requiring promotion and correspondence to be in French, font sizes of text to be bigger and more prominent in French than English, etc.
Most companies just don't want to bother or risk being fined by the 'language police' (and yes, for those outside Canada, Quebec actually has a special law enforcement department that goes around and measures the size of French vs. English writing on posters, signs, or printed marketing with a ruler, and will fine thousands of dollars if the French text isn't larger).
Would be funny if it wasn't true.
Hey man, it's the only way we can preserve our language... Don't start a political debate on this site, we all know how it'll end!
have we sorted this out yet?? is it a random entry that wins or the one billion
Turns out it's whoever downloads the 1,000,000,000th app.
Yet, although many people continue to repeat this because it seems like it would make sense, that's not what the rules say.
Edit: here's the direct quote from http://www.apple.com/itunes/billion-app-countdown/rules.html
You can enter, but if your selected as the winner you just can't get the prize. This has something to do with Quebec's law and regulations regarding contests. http://www2.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/dynamicSearch/telecharge.php?type=2&file=//L_6/L6_A.htm#
Basically there are quite a few reasons why we can't win but the major one is Apple is charged duty fees and has to put down security fees for it to be eligible. So Apple may have to pay double (cost for the prize and cost for the extra duty and security fee) for the contest to be eligible in Quebec.
i entered the online form way, and then tried to do it a few minutes later, and it said that i had entered the max for today! but i didn't enter 25 times
DUDE! All you gotta do is download one free App to be entered to win. Download more (up to 25 a day), and increase your odds proportionally.
Hey -- you might even buy a cheap, used 8Gb iPod touch (1st Gen) on ebay, and find that you really, really like this new revolutionary platform (cue the Android and RIM and WM and Pre fans).
Try it -- I'll bet you'll like it.
Or something like that -- just my opinion.
average rate of 4,500/minute
Getting a current average rate of about 4,533 apps per minute. (That server processing load is a amazing - even if most apps are about 1mb.)
At that rate, we should be there in 10.5 days. But within the next 2 days there will probably be a doubling of the download rate so about 9,066. (Because of the global distribution of the iPhone, I don't think this rate will slow much.)
So, the billion download might in 6.3 days.
Anyway you slice it, 1,000,000,000 app downloads since September 2008 is amazing.
Think how long it took Apple to get to the first 1 billion songs.
Getting a current average rate of about 4,533 apps per minute. (That server processing load is a amazing - even if most apps are about 1mb.)
At that rate, we should be there in 10.5 days. But within the next 2 days there will probably be a doubling of the download rate so about 9,066. (Because of the global distribution of the iPhone, I don't think this rate will slow much.)
So, the billion download might in 6.3 days.
Anyway you slice it, 1,000,000,000 app downloads since September 2008 is amazing.
Think how long it took Apple to get to the first 1 billion songs.