Apple launches annual Back to School promotion, doesn't include free iPod touch
If you were one of our many readers waiting for Apple's Back to School promotion to kick off so you could grab a new MacBook or iMac and get a free iPod touch along with it, you're in for some disappointment. Instead of a free iPod touch like last year](http://www.imore.com/2010/05/27/apple-education-promo-free-ipod-touch/), this year Apple is offering a $100 iTunes gift certificate to cap off your educational purchase.
Sure, that means you can give it right back to Apple when you buy things from the iOS App Store, Mac App Store, iTunes Music (and media) Store, and iBookstore, and get some great stuff to put on your shiny new machine, but we can't help but be a little sad that iPod touch isn't getting in on the big promo this year.
Any of you taking advantage of the Back to School event anyway?
There are 17 comments. Add yours.
This is such a downgrade from previous years' free iPod Touch promotion. Seems especially untimely to switch to this promotion since Microsoft is giving away free Xbox 360s with the purchase of a $699+ Windows 7 PC.
:-(
waiting for months to get my new computer. another example of how corporate greed wins over customer appreciation
You could just get a 13inch macbook pro for 999.99 from micro center if you have one nearby. That's 100 dollars cheaper than their education pricing and 20 bucks less than their refurbished pricing.
That is if you want the base model. They should have provided the newest gen 8GB iPod touch. Would have been a better deal. Especially with Microsoft's free Xbox offer
Wow what a shame I was waiting out on the back to school deal hoping I could save a couple of hundred on the iPad but I guess we cant always win with apple
Notice how the iPod app disappeared from iOS 5 and now we see that this happens, Apple not giving out free iPod Touch! There was an article a few days ago and could it really be that they are going to lay the iPod brand to rest?
Well shoot! The first time I'm going to buy a new Mac!!! Oh well, that still is pretty good, $100 does go a long way! Devs and musicians should appreciate it as well.
This will be my first time purchasing a Mac, so the $100 works for me.
Was thinking of getting a macbook air for school this fall so this was initially a bit of a dissapointment for me. As I thought about it though, I've got my iphone and when I got my free ipod 3 years ago when I got my iMac I had an iphone and never used the ipod, sold it for $100 to a friend. I guess this isn't really bad for me, cuts out the middleman and just means I won't have to pay for iphone/ipad apps for a while. I actually like this the more I think about it (though I can see why people hoping for an ipod don't) because as opposed to only apple profiting they're giving something that'll help out app and game developers quite a bit (i.e. they only get 30% of this back as profit and the rest goes to app developers). I wanted to be mad, then I decided to be complacent, now I kinda like it.
This Sucks... I am going to get the new Windows 7 computer for $300 less, and get a free XBOX while I am at it.... Looks like they are allowing MS to get back into the game big time. WIth all the new advancments from windows 7, I am more than happy making this decision. I still have my Mac Book, but its always nice to have one of each.... a Mac and Windows 7.
To bad apple - a little GREED, just lost you a really good $1500 laptop sale? Was it worth it? Was it???
This makes me believe that there will be 2 iphone models. A regular one and a lower end one which would be the cost of the old iTouch?
We were thinking of making the switch from windows laptop to macbook and holding off for this promotion.
Disappointed that this is a lame deal compared to previous years.
Ugh, looks like I'm heading with the Windows 7 + Free Xbox deal. I still have the base MacBook model from last year that the rest of my family uses so I'll be using if and when I'll need it. I have my iOS devices to keep me happy with apple too.
Man I was very disappointed to hear that they stopped giving out free iPods. That's, BS.
What a shame....
Am disappointed, sad and angry ...
Have been waiting to buy my notebook for the free iPod touch...the free iPod was the determining factor between paying more for Apple vs going elsewhere. I am just as happy with windows as I just bought an Apple home computer two months ago. Would have switched to the Mac Air and given the free itouch to my daughter, but I guess now she will get the Xbox!
To be fair, they also offer $100 off a printer with purchase. But it still sucks majorly.