iTunes meets 10 billion downloads: today in Apple History

February 23, 2010: The iTunes Store officially hands over the 10 billion music downloads Mark and reaches a large milestone. The 10 -billion -purchase? “Probably things happen” by Johnny Cash.

The buyer of the song in question is Louie Sulcer from Woodstock, Georgia. As part of a “Countdown to 10 billion songs” from Apple, Sulcer wins a massive iTunes Store gift card of 10,000 US dollars -and receives a personal call from Steve Jobs for a good measure!

iTunes hits 10 billion downloads

A father of three threes and grandfather of nine, said Sulcer later Rab He was not aware of Apple's much published competition when he downloaded the track. He bought it for a Johnny Cash mixtape that he made for his son.

When Jobs called him personally to say that he had won, Sulcer initially did not believe that the Apple co-founder was at the other end of the line.

“He called me and said:” This is Steve Jobs from Apple. “I said:” Yes, right, “Sulcer told the magazine.” I have a son who loves to play tricks, and he does it from time to time – calls me and imitates someone. “

After repeating the caller's identity, Sulcer finally noticed that the callers read “Apple”. Only then did he start to believe that the call could be real.

iTunes downloads reach record numbers

February 2010 was a big month for the iTunes business, which officially became the largest music seller worldwide.

The 10 billion -and -tunes -Song download was not the first sales that Apple celebrated extravagant for its online music shops. On December 15, 2003 – approximately eight months after the start of the iTunes Music Store – Apple marked the 25 million -time download. The winner at this time? A Frank Sinatra cover of the Christmas classic “Let It Snow! Leave it snow! Leave it snow! “

Less than a year later, on July 12, 2004, Apple sold its 100 million -top song: Zero 7 from “Somersault (Dangermouse Remix)”, bought by Kevin Britten from Hays, Kansas.

Like Sulcer, Britten received an iTunes gift card of 10,000 US dollars and a personal call from jobs. (Brittens also won a 17-inch power book.)

Apple slams over statistics

Nowadays, Apple mainly avoids a big affair from its sales markings. It no longer reports individual iPhone sales. Even when Apple sold the 1 billionth iPhone, it was little to remember. (Apple mentioned in 2023 that its user base met astonishing 2 billion active devices, but this revelation was made in a press release over quarterly profits. There was also 2.35 billion active devices in a call with investors.)

The company also seems to be a little shy of Apple Watch, Apple Music and other sales fronts. The same applies to the number of spectators for Apple TV+. Apple says that it sees this information as competitive and does not want to use itself all the time.

Do you remember what was your first iTunes song? Leave your comments below.