Apple to offer free 8GB Touch in Back-To-School deal
updated 04:35 pm EDT, Mon June 2, 2008
Apple back to school deal
Apple on Tuesday is set to confirm reports from last week on its 2008 Back-to-School promotion, which will provide students with a $299 voucher to use towards an 8GB iPod touch when purchasing an applicable Mac. According to AppleInsider, the rebate will also apply to the higher capacity models, such as the $399 16GB Touch or the $499 32GB model. Students could also opt out of the Touch, and instead use the credit for a $199 iPod Nano.
An insider familiar with the promotion said their organization has "already ordered lots of iPod touches to be ready for [this] week."
The rebate offering is the highest in Apple's history, with the company formerly offering $199 towards a 4GB Nano last year, and $179 in the two years prior towards a 2GB Nano or iPod mini.
highest?
06/02, 05:15pm reply
As recently as five years ago, Apple offered $500 rebate on 22" Cinema Display PowerMac. A similar offer followed a year later. It involved a $300 rebate for the same combination.
So, I suppose it has to do with how "recent" is defined.
Paul Huang
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 1999
True, but....
06/02, 05:34pm reply
Those weren't back to school promotions though. These will be the largest rebates ever involving a back to school promo.
MacnTX
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 2004
32GB?
06/02, 06:09pm (1 reply) reply
Am I missing something, but where is there a 32GB Touch?
mojotwo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jun 2008
Re: highest?
06/02, 06:10pm reply
And those, I believe were actual rebates. If Apple really wanted to help school kids, maybe just giving $300 off would serve the task better than this.
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
re: mojotwo
06/02, 06:17pm (1 reply) reply
yes you are. try apple.com
Super Glitcher
Dedicated MacNNer
Joined: Aug 2003
good towards iphone?
06/02, 06:58pm reply
Anyone know or guess: could you apply this voucher towards an iphone?
HombrePhaty
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Oct 2003
Dumping
06/02, 08:56pm (2 replies) reply
Sounds like Apple wants to dump product. Otherwise why not an iPod voucher worth up to $299? Why state that it's for the 'touch' or, take it in the teeth and get a nano?
occupant
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Oct 2004
Early loss=long term gain
06/03, 02:50am reply
Apple is willing to take the extra hit of the touch as they now will have a much more robust method of making future money off the device, and want to push the platform for later gains, much like most game consoles start. MS used to lose hundreds on every xbox360, with the plan to make it up in game licenses. Apple will loss up to an extra $100, figuring music purchases, video purchases (especially with increasing prices), video rentals, and now they get a cut of app purchase. They want to expand the base of the "Touch" platform to encourage application development and become the mobile wi-fi/ extreme ultra mobile productivity and entertainment platform.
ThePhoenix
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: May 2005
Re: early loss
06/03, 07:14am reply
Yep, that sounds right. Mostly about the app purchase. By pushing the touch, you get more owners of the device that is driving their future revenue paths (selling content).
Of course, lest we forget, if you're getting one of these, you should wait until after WWDC. If you get a Touch now, you'll have to pay $$$ just to enable the apps feature (sorry, you're not going to be able to run applications on the current touch for free, just like existing owners couldn't get those "5 new apps" for free in January).
Wonder how that's going to go over with the "Hey, I got a free touch!" users.
Apple should put an amendment into their sale to say it will be able to run Apps when they're released. That way Apple's covered on the accounting side (since people are buying the device with the knowledge it will run apps) and new owners aren't pissed.
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001