Apple has encouraged several app makers to integrate the theme into over 26 apps, possibly more, starting December 1st to December 7th. All proceeds garnered from the sale of these apps, as well as (RED) branded products, will go towards research efforts to eradicate AIDS.

Like all of the above, being a “go-to” company, for Apple, is indeed a fuzzy and comfortable feeling in terms of prospective profits and the recognition of planting a flag on an Apple device. Yet, it doesn’t last forever, and besides, why should it?

When the original Apple team moved into a new building, in 1983, programmer Steve Capps and Susan Kare created the Pirate flag, embodiment of Steve Jobs famous slogan: “It’s better to be a pirate than join the navy.”. The skull and crossbones sporting the iconic multicolored Apple logo as the eye-patch, flew over the Apple campus for a full year before being removed and placed in the annals of tech history.

Word has it Apple has a new ally, an unlikely friend that promises to open Apple Pay’s mobile payment platform to small businesses. Square founder Jack Dorsey, owner of the popular favorite in the small business world, is in talks to integrate Apple Pay, in a move that may come as a surprise, but really isn’t.