Friday 18 July 2008
On 18 July 2008, US department store Bloomingdales announced it was to produce strictly limited edition Beatles iPods. The gadgets would be sold with The Beatles’ back catalogue pre-loaded. Only 2,500 would be made, making them instant collector’s items.
The Beatles on Apple — officially licensed
The Beatles On Apple unisex T-shirt.
The Beatles and Digital Downloads
The announcement fuelled renewed speculation that The Beatles’ songs would soon appear on Apple’s iTunes store. At the time, The Beatles were one of the last major recording artists to have resisted selling their songs as digital downloads, although a deal had reportedly been struck between Apple Inc and Apple Records.
Apple Records had reportedly given Bloomingdales exclusive rights to The Beatles’ images. The store planned to produce a new line of T-shirts, jackets and accessories featuring images from the group’s records and films, along with CD box sets.
The Beatles’ music eventually became available on iTunes on 16 November 2010, when Apple announced: “The Beatles’ music is now on iTunes. That’s it.”
The Apple that started it all
Officially licensed The Beatles Apple Plushie.
Key Details
| Announcement date | 18 July 2008 |
| Retailer | Bloomingdales (USA) |
| Product | Limited edition Beatles iPod with back catalogue pre-loaded |
| Units produced | 2,500 |
| Licensed by | Apple Records |
| Also announced | T-shirts, jackets, accessories and CD box sets featuring Beatles imagery |
| Beatles on iTunes | 16 November 2010 |
The Apple logo — on your desk
Officially licensed The Beatles Apple NoteBook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was there a limited edition Beatles iPod?
Yes — in July 2008, US department store Bloomingdales announced a strictly limited edition Beatles iPod, with only 2,500 units produced. Each was sold with The Beatles’ back catalogue pre-loaded. The announcement was licensed by Apple Records.
When did The Beatles' music become available on iTunes?
The Beatles’ music became available on iTunes on 16 November 2010. Apple announced the news with the message: “The Beatles’ music is now on iTunes. That’s it.” The Beatles had been one of the last major artists to resist digital downloads.
Why did The Beatles resist iTunes for so long?
The delay was largely due to a long-running legal dispute between Apple Corps (The Beatles’ company) and Apple Inc over the use of the Apple name and logo. The dispute was settled in 2007, paving the way for the eventual iTunes deal in 2010.
What Beatles merchandise did Bloomingdales sell in 2008?
In 2008, Bloomingdales produced a range of officially licensed Beatles merchandise including the limited edition iPod, T-shirts, jackets, accessories featuring images from the group’s records and films, and CD box sets.
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