Apple refuses to say how much money from ‘charity’ red iPhone will go to fight AIDS

Apple is refusing to say how much money from its special edition iPhone is going to AIDS charities.

Today, the company’s special red iPhone 7 and 7 Plus goes on sale, with a hefty $919 (£919) price tag for the most expensive model.

The phone was prominently marketed to consumers as “an unprecedented way to contribute to the Global Fund and bring the world a step closer to an AIDS-free generation”.

But despite the claim appearing in promotional material, the company is refusing to explain how much of the profit will actually go to charity, following multiple requests from PinkNews.

The small print on Apple’s website specifies that only an unspecified “contribution” will go to charity from each purchase, despite Apple’s high profit margins on the lucratively popular device.

The phone was launched as part of a partnership with (RED), a non-profit entity which specialises in AIDS-themed brand deals with corporations. (RED) does not carry out any primary HIV/AIDS work itself – instead contributing to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS.

PinkNews has repeatedly asked both Apple and (RED) to clarify how much Apple’s charitable contribution will be from the sale of each phone, and how much will go to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS.

A spokesperson for Apple declined to comment, pointing a release that explains the company has “raised $130 million” across the entirety of its ten-year partnership with (RED).

Though the number may seem high, it works out at 0.01% of the company’s estimated $1.25 trillion net revenue over the same period, which netted the company $274 billion profit.