Today is World AIDS Day and Apple’s brick and mortar and online stores around the world have tinted their logos red in recognition of the event. In addition, Apple’s online stores are promoting (RED) products, including Apple-brand (RED) accessories such as the $200 Beats headphones, the $49 iPod shuffle and more.
Apple has previously said that 100 percent of proceeds from In-App Purchased and downloads of participating iPhone and iPad apps like Angry Birds and Monument Valley will go to the Global Fund through December 7.
The special red signage can be seen at Apple Stores around the world. In years past, the company changed store logos not only in recognition of World AIDS Days, but also marking other events such as 2014 Earth Day. Apple’s been a key partner of PROJECT(RED) initiative by U2’s Bono to help end the spread of AIDS in Africa.
A notice on the U.S. Apple Store notes that “we’re contributing a portion of the proceeds from every product, accessory and gift card we sell at the Apple Retail Store and Apple Online Store to the Global Fund to fight AIDS.”
The cryptic ”a portion of the proceeds” wording caught attention of Fortune writer Philip Elmer-DeWitt who opined that “for a company that celebrates transparency, Apple is being surprisingly opaque.”
Again, in addition to accessories and apps, every iPad, Mac, iPhone and Apple TV sold by Apple today will help global efforts to fight AIDS, which has killed more than 36 million people worldwide through 2012. An estimated 35.3 million people are living with the virus.