Apple observes World AIDS Day

Apple observed World AIDS Day by changing the company's logo to red in Apple stores around the world.

On Sunday, December 1, Apple stores sported a red variant of the company's logo in honor of World AIDS Day, which is observed every year on this date and aims to draw awareness to HIV/AIDS.

Tim Cook, Apple's CEO took to Twitter to announce that the company was marking World AIDS Day with this move in support of an AIDS-free world.

"We are marking #World AIDS Day by turning Apple's logo red. Together we can achieve an AIDS free generation," tweeted Cook.

The tweet also included an image of the Apple Store sporting a red-tinted logo. Apple has done such a campaign in the past as well.

In 2012, Apple began changing the store logo to red on World AIDS Day, as well as linking to the JoinRed.com from its homepage which drew attention to alternate fund raising activities that were linked to the Global Fund.

Apple stores also promote Product (RED) devices. A part of the proceeds received from the sales of the products are donated to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa.

The products include RED versions of its iPod nano, iPoad shuffle, iPod touch, iPad Air, iPad mini Smart Covers, iPad Air Smart Case, iPhone 5s case and the iPhone 4s Bumper.

In addition to the above-mentioned products, in November, Apple's designers Jony Ive and Marc Newson collaborated on a series of products that were sold at a special charity auction to raise money for Global Fund by Sotheby's.

The one-of-a-kind items included a red Mac Pro, which brought in $977,000; a pair of rose gold Apple Earpods that raked in $461,000, a special edition Leica camera which sold for $1,805,000; a custom-made aluminum desk which fetched $1,685,000 and a 1966 bottle of Dom Pérignon in a red cooler, which raised $93,750.

All the products auctioned raised nearly $13 million. Apple has managed to raise more than $65 million for Product (RED) since 2006.