Cupertino asks users to come back shortly to see who has won the $10K gift card

Mar 3, 2012 14:51 GMT  ·  By

Apple today stopped the countdown timer for its 25 Billion App Store downloads and is now preparing to announce the winner of a $10,000 iTunes gift card.

The Cupertino giant had already confirmed it was approaching the milestone about two weeks ahead of the 25 billionth download. At the time of the announcement, Apple threw in that whomever downloads the last app will be entitled to a $10,000 iTunes gift certificate.

The countdown timer has stopped now. The Mac makers are featuring a promo on the main Apple.com page, stating “A billion thanks. 25 times over. The App Store has reached 25 billion downloads. Thanks for getting us there.”

Apple is not only thanking the tens of millions of iDevice owners out there who regularly access the App Store, but also the developers behind the half a million iOS apps currently available through the company's popular download center.

The 25 billionth app countdown page includes two links - one taking users to the App Store; the other taking customers to the official rules of the aforementioned contest.

App Store visitors are greeted by a similar page on iTunes - a banner filled with a flurry of colorful application icons, as well as two columns featuring the top 25 all-time paid and free apps for iPhone and iPad.

The Official Rules state that “The 25 Billion Apps Countdown Promotion […] is open only to entrants who are at least the minimum age required by law in the country in which they are located at time of entry, and located in a participating App Store country.”

Apple specifically outlines that “Entrants under the age of majority in their jurisdiction must obtain a parent’s or legal guardian’s consent before participating, and by participating represent that they have done so. Entrants must enter the Promotion through the App Store accessible in the country in which they are located or through Apple.com.”