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Thinking about giving away an iPad or an iPhone to promote your company or website? Think again. Apple prohibits third-parties from handing out its mobile devices in giveaways, and although this rule has been in place since January, if not earlier, according to Fortune, the company has just begun to enforce it.

Apple's Guidelines for Third Party Promotions decree the following: "iPad, iPhone, and the iPhone Gift Card may not be used in third-party promotions; iPod touch is only allowed to be used in special circumstances and requires a minimum purchase of 250 units; you may not use the Myriad Set font on or in connection with websites, products, packaging, manuals, or promotional/advertising materials; the use of "free" as a modifier in any Apple product reference in a prominent manner (headlines, call-outs, etc.) is prohibited; you must submit all marketing materials related to the promotion of Apple products to Apple for review."

Cult of Mac has a running list of nearly 40 sites including Mashable, Geeksugar, and Mahalo that have held such promotions, but none seem to have been squashed. Until now.

It appears the Apple fanboys that just can't dole out $500 plus of their hard-earned cash for an iPad 2 have lost the chance to potentially nab an Apple product. While Fortune says Apple has started to shut down promotions, it didn't specifically cite any campaigns that have been suspended.

Apple wouldn't comment on the matter.

Has your company had an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch giveaway that has been shut down at Apple's request? We want to hear from you in the comments portion of this story.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2386303,00.asp

What a bunch of egotistical self flagilatig fascists.
I buy and iDevice, I'll do what the fuck I want with it when I want to fucking do it.

This makes me want to run out, buy an iPod touch and give it away.

^^ This pisses me off, if Steve Jobs was in front of me now, he'd be visiting a dentist a few seconds later.

LMAO and the fanboys will still lap it up

Our company gives away iPads to the sales people that meet their targets. Guess they'll have to find something else if that counts... It's internal so it might not be affected.

Think its only Advertising isn't it.

Like me Buying an Iphone and giving it away on here in a Competition to drum up traffic.


Nothing wrong with me Giving you one, in return for something
Its not like Apple would know anyway

theENIGMATRON wrote:Nothing wrong with me Giving you one, in return for something
Its not like Apple would know anyway

They employ a company to scan the internet to find website giveaways, then they will start civil cases.

Dazbobaby wrote:

theENIGMATRON wrote:Nothing wrong with me Giving you one, in return for something
Its not like Apple would know anyway

They employ a company to scan the internet to find website giveaways, then they will start civil cases.

Yer i was talking about States case where its a prize for Internal.
They aint going to post it on there website

Are they........................... lol

No, it's not public.

Surely this whole exercise just has negative PR implications? Why do it?

Well my thoughts on it, Would be because there one of the most wanted Gadget and so Popular people will Drop at the chance to have a FREE Apple Product with a Deal or Competition.

You could be raked into a Deal, Thinking you would get an Iphone or something,
But little do you know in the Small print it says COULD and limited to stock, and they may only have one.

Suppose point being maybe they are receiving alot of complaints about people promising products and they never receive them.

At the end of the day HOW would it effect Apple other than Increase profit, as everything has an APP store on it, and they get ALOT of dollar from it, so regardless if its free or not they Gained for the Sale of the product and any future sales from the App store it may bring.

Exactly - and presumably the prize giver needs to buy them in the first place. It's free marketing for Apple. Win win win. Idiots.