Apple: No more devices as "(Product)RED"
For years, Apple has been selling products where part of the proceeds go to an anti-AIDS foundation. This is now coming to an end with the iPhone & Apple Watch.
"Product (RED)" products: Only as accessories.
(Image: Apple)
With the introduction of the iPhone 16e, which also heralded the official end of the SE 3 and 14 series worldwide, Apple has also made a change that is likely to annoy fans of the color red: In future, there will no longer be any hardware that is shipped from the factory as "(Product)RED". This should also reduce Apple's income for the foundation of the same name, which was founded by U2 singer Bono in 2006. The money went into the so-called Global Fund, which was initially dedicated to fighting HIV in particular, but now also combats other diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis –, especially in the Global South.
Only old cases still on offer
However, Apple has not completely ended its "(Product)RED" commitment. Cases in the bright red color are still being offered for older iPhones, but only for iPhones that have been taken off the market, such as the iPhone 12, 13 and the aforementioned 14 and SE 4. Some resellers (see heise price comparison below) still offer older products such as the Apple Watch Series 9 in red or matching wristbands. However, the overall range is virtually non-existent.
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It is unclear whether Apple will supply further devices, for example by introducing new colors at a later date. There are also no "(Product)RED" products at the audio subsidiary Beats, even though some red devices are available there, although they do not have a charity component. Neither Apple nor the foundation have yet commented on the changes. The iPhones and Apple Watch products that were offered directly in the charity color have probably always performed best – The special colors were popular and generated good income for the foundation due to the device prices. The iPhone 16e has been introduced by Apple in only two colors, which are very minimalistic: Black and white, that's it.
Apple: Helping millions of people
On a special page about its "(Product)RED" commitment, Apple writes that it has donated more than a quarter of a billion US dollars since 2006. 100 percent of this has gone to HIV programs. A total of 207 million people have been provided with HIV tests, 43 million young people with prevention measures and 5.6 million HIV-positive mothers with treatments to prevent transmission to their children.
Apple is still advertising the no longer available iPhone 14 and SE 4 models on the site as "(Product)RED" variants, including the outdated cases, although the "Buy" link is already missing for most products.
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