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Apple Supports National Parks With Apple Watch Activity Challenge and Apple Pay Donations

Thursday August 23, 2018 8:11 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple today introduced an Apple Pay donation program and a new Activity Challenge on the Apple Watch in support of U.S. national parks.


From August 24 through August 31, Apple said it will donate $1 to the National Park Foundation, the official charity of the U.S. National Park Service, for every purchase made with Apple Pay at any Apple Store, on Apple.com, or through the Apple Store app for iPhone and iPad in the United States.

Proceeds will support the National Park Foundation's mission to protect national parks through projects like habitat restoration and historic preservation, and support programs like Open OutDoors for Kids, according to Apple.

Apple CEO Tim Cook:
America's national parks are treasures everyone should experience, and we're proud to support them again this month by donating a dollar for every purchase made with Apple Pay at one of our stores. These awe-inspiring places are our national inheritance, and Apple is doing our part to pass them on to future generations — just as extraordinary, beautiful and wild as we found them.
On September 1, Apple Watch users around the world who complete a walk, run, or wheelchair workout of 50 minutes of more will earn an Activity app award and animated iMessage stickers, inspired by national parks. The challenge pays homage to Redwood National Park's 50th anniversary celebration this year.

The App Store will also highlight a collection of some of the best apps to help users easily navigate and explore U.S. national parks.

Apple supported U.S. national parks in these same ways in July 2017.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 5, Apple Pay
Tag: Activity Challenge
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
[ 40 comments ]


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recoil80
16 weeks ago
I think they should have a "product Green" line to support the environment, just like they have product Red for AIDS charity.
Rating: 6 Votes
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AngerDanger
16 weeks ago

I think they should have a "product Green" line to support the environment, just like they have product Red for AIDS charity.

And if you wanna support both simultaneously…



Rating: 6 Votes
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Fozziebear71
16 weeks ago

Wow - how generous. If you buy any Apple product, which range in price from $20 charging cables where they likely make $18 profit to $15K computers where they likely make $12K profit, they'll donate a whole $1.

This week only. Oh, and only if you use Apple Pay, because they really want to get you using that.


They are a company that exists to make money.

Exactly what was your point?
Rating: 5 Votes
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jimbobb24
16 weeks ago
I love parks so this is great. I do the fetish on "restoration" is a little funny such natural areas have no "true" form (what are we restoring them to). The American Indians used to burn whole forests so they could chase buffalo but most of those areas are being replaced by trees now. Things change, there is no correct state for nature, but I do love hiking, biking, and camping in the parks and hope they continue to thrive.

I like when they do specialty badges. They need to do more and up their game with the activity app.

Also people giving Tim Cook a hard time for donating 5 million is the height of pettiness and envy.
Rating: 4 Votes
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bbednarz
16 weeks ago

Wow - how generous. If you buy any Apple product, which range in price from $20 charging cables where they likely make $18 profit to $15K computers where they likely make $12K profit, they'll donate a whole $1.

This week only. Oh, and only if you use Apple Pay, because they really want to get you using that.

I look forward to hearing how much you donated. Tim Cook donated $5 million to charity the other day and people bitched and moaned about how it wasn't enough and that they didn't disclose which charities were donated to. If there are 500,000 transactions made that is $500,000 more the charity will have. I don't see how that can be spun as a negative.
Rating: 3 Votes
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Fozziebear71
16 weeks ago
This ever increasing view in our society that corporations that make a lot of money is an awful thing is getting so tiresome.
Rating: 3 Votes
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TaviDuprix
16 weeks ago

Wow - how generous. If you buy any Apple product, which range in price from $20 charging cables where they likely make $18 profit to $15K computers where they likely make $12K profit, they'll donate a whole $1.

This week only. Oh, and only if you use Apple Pay, because they really want to get you using that.


Unless you are donating money, save your disdain for something else.
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Yes, but how much did it save him in taxes? Sure, it's great he donated 5 million, way more than I ever could, but every time I see things like this it ends up being some huge benefit in taxes to the giver, to the point where it was something they were required to do to keep more money than to pay it out in taxes.


You do not understand the tax code if you even for a second believe that when rich people give money to charity they somehow make out better than if they had not donated at all.
Rating: 3 Votes
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Starship67
16 weeks ago

Wow - how generous. If you buy any Apple product, which range in price from $20 charging cables where they likely make $18 profit to $15K computers where they likely make $12K profit, they'll donate a whole $1.

This week only. Oh, and only if you use Apple Pay, because they really want to get you using that.


Considering the product volume they sell. I’m sure it will add up. Not to mention they don’t have to donate anything. By the way how much did you give?
Rating: 2 Votes
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bbednarz
16 weeks ago

Yes, but how much did it save him in taxes? Sure, it's great he donated 5 million, way more than I ever could, but every time I see things like this it ends up being some huge benefit in taxes to the giver, to the point where it was something they were required to do to keep more money than to pay it out in taxes.

So are you saying it would have been better had he not donated money to charity? I don't really see the argument you are making here. I guess everyone should stop giving to charity? Because he receives some tax benefits for donating he should not donate money? I promise you the charities that are receiving this money don't care one iota about the tax benefits he receives.
Rating: 2 Votes
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m0sher
16 weeks ago
I love Apple but this incentive falls so far from the mark.

They should’ve offered $1 for any Apple Pay transaction anywhere, including stores. Then this would’ve been an incentive for people to break out their Apple Pay when they pay for groceries and encourage them to learn more about how to use it if they know they’re donating to a worthy cause without having to buy an Apple product.
Rating: 2 Votes

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