Apple Offering an App Store 'Surprise' From December 24 to December 29 [Updated]

Apple is planning to offer some kind of holiday App Store promotion that may see the company giving away free apps and games.

In Australia, where it is December 24, ‌App Store‌ users are waking up to an App Store story that mentions a "surprise" for Tuesday and explains that users can expect a treat every day from December 24 to December 29.

appstoresurprises

Tuesday's surprise isn't live yet, but it will be shortly! Make sure you come back soon to check it out.



Have you seen today's goodies? Look for the unwrapped presents on the App Store's Today, Games, and Apps tabs.

From December 24 to 29, you'll find a new surprise every day on the App Store. Come back daily to discover which treat we have waiting for you!

The wording of the story suggests that Apple is planning to give away free apps and games in a promotion similar to the 12 Days of Christmas promotion that the company used to run several years back.

We don't know yet what app or game Apple plans to give away on December 24, but we should find out soon from Australian users. ‌App Store‌ users in other countries like the United States can expect to see the same promotions when December 24 rolls around.

Update 10:39 a.m.: The surprises have gone live in New Zealand, and MacRumors readers tonyduffe and @Ldeverell report that the deals include a special in-app purchase bundle Looney Tunes World of Mayhem and a three-month subscription for the price of one month in Canva. We'll have to see if offers are the same around the world.

app store 2019 surprise

Update 2: Based on reader reports, the daily surprises appear to only be available in Australia and New Zealand, with a subset of them also seen in India.

Popular Stories

Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring. There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category. M4...
Generic iOS 18

Here's When Apple Will Release iOS 18.4

Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch. All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
apple c1

Apple Unveils 'C1' as First Custom Cellular Modem

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:08 am PST by
Apple today announced its first custom cellular modem with the name "C1," debuting in the all-new iPhone 16e. The new modem contributes to the iPhone 16e's power efficiency, giving it the longest battery life of any iPhone with a 6.1-inch display, such as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16. Expanding the benefits of Apple silicon, C1 is the first modem designed by Apple and the most...
Apple Northbrook

Apple Store Permanently Closing at Struggling Mall in Chicago Area

Tuesday February 18, 2025 8:46 pm PST by
Apple is permanently closing its retail store at the Northbrook Court shopping mall in the Chicago area. The company confirmed the upcoming closure today in a statement, but it has yet to provide a closing date for the location. Apple Northbrook opened in 2005, and the store moved to a larger space in the mall in 2017. Apple confirmed that affected employees will continue to work for the...

Top Rated Comments

markfc Avatar
68 months ago
Used to love 12 days of christmas...
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tillsbury Avatar
68 months ago
Yup, live in nz this morning too

https://apps.apple.com/nz/story/id1488144199

The surprise is that offering 60% discount on the purchase of 200 gems for a game is not exactly the holiday gift of a lifetime...
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
decypher44 Avatar
68 months ago
So, nothing free. Just IA discounts and trials? Wow, so generous! Hahahahahahahaha
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bobob Avatar
68 months ago

With the margins Apple is getting on their products, I doubt that a give away worth a few dollars will affect their bottom line :).
I disagree.

I think it will increase their bottom line by increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
m0sher Avatar
68 months ago
I doubt they’re giving away useful apps, like Microsoft Office.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pez555 Avatar
68 months ago
Is this the best you can do apple...
?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)