Apple CEO Tim Cook Waives Royalties on Foo Fighters Charity Single for BBC

Apple CEO Tim Cook made a shock look on BBC’s “Big Night In” fundraiser on Thursday to disclose the corporate is waiving charges on the U.Ok. public broadcaster’s charity single “Times Like These.”

Speaking remotely from his house, Cook mentioned the tech large is dismissing all royalties on the only, which is a canopy of the Foo Fighters track carried out by artists together with Dua Lipa, Chris Martin, Hailee Steinfeld, Bastille and Jess Glynne.

“We’re also making a significant donation of our own to ‘The Big Night In’ and helping our customers across the U.K. join in by contributing from their devices,” mentioned Cook.

“We’re deeply inspired not only by the strength and good humor of the British people, but also your empathy for one another and the neighbors beyond your shores,” Cook continued. “From our Apple family to yours, thank you for your generosity and your courage. Stay safe and stay well.”

The “Times Like These” single acquired its world premiere as a part of “Big Night In,” which drew a mean viewers of 6.7 million (35% viewers share) throughout a three-hour broadcast and peaked with 8.5 million.

Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and drummer Taylor Hawkins additionally seem within the video, and Grohl was later interviewed with Dua Lipa as a part of this system.

Apple’s donation to the BBC, the quantity of which is as but unclear, comes weeks after the U.Ok. rolled out a brand new digital gross sales tax that sees multi-national tech giants similar to Apple, with worldwide revenues exceeding £500 million ($616.9 million) — and with greater than £25 million ($30.Eight million) of revenues derived from U.Ok. customers — taxed 2% in opposition to gross sales overseas. The new tax went into impact April 1.

In January, Apple posted revenues of $91.Eight billion for its first quarter ending December 28, 2019. Around 25% of its international gross sales got here from Europe, amounting to $23.2 billion.