Is this Appleâ€™s $100m mistake?

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 13 September 2014 | 20.01

Apple CEO Tim Cook (L) greets the crowd with U2 singer Bono as The Edge looks on during the iPhone 6 launch Source: Getty Images

HALF a billion iTunes users were given a free U2 album this week as a gift from tech giant Apple. But not everyone is happy about it.

Apple dropped the music into the online accounts of users as part of a major promotion to coincide with the long-awaited release of the iPhone 6 and Apple Watch.

But the unexpected arrival of the 11-song album didn't go down well with everyone with many taking to Twitter to vent about the choice of music and how it became downloaded on their phones.

U2 members Bono, left, and Larry Mullen Jr. perform during the iPhone 6 launch. Source: Supplied

The U2 promo is estimated to have cost Apple $100 million Source: AP

It was during the launch of the new products, which was attended by U2, that Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the free music. It began showing up in accounts within 24 hours.

Most didn't like the fact they'd suddenly been caught up in a marketing push, while others found it difficult to get rid of the music.

While you can delete the music from your device, but in "the Cloud" the best you can do is hide it in your online library.

Others though were grateful for the unexpected delivery and mocked the haters online with comments such as "we really are scraping the bottom of the barrel of first-world problems.

U2 frontman Bono reportedly said Apple had to pay for the new album to be distributed free of charge because, "we're not going in for the free music around here."

Some have estimated it cost Apple $100 million — a huge amount but nothing compared to the billions the company has in the bank.