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Apple today launched its annual Back to School promotion, offering a free pair of Beats Solo2 On-Ear headphones to qualifying students, parents of students and educators that purchase an eligible Mac, including the iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and Mac Pro. As usual, the Mac mini and refurbished Macs are excluded from the deal. iPhones and iPads are also absent from this year's promotion.

beatssolo2.jpg

Apple will apply an instant credit in the amount of $199.95 to cover the full cost of the Beats Solo 2 On-Ear headphones in gloss black, white, red, blue, gray or pink. Apple is also offering the option to upgrade to Beats Solo2 Wireless On-Ear Headphones in space gray, silver or gold for $100 extra, which is the remaining balance after the $199.95 credit is applied.

Apple's Back to School promotion offered up to a $100 Apple Store gift card with the purchase of a qualifying Mac, iPhone or iPad in past years, including the 2014 and 2013 promotions, but the iPhone and iPad are not included in this year's deal. Apple has outlined the full eligibility requirements for the program in its terms and conditions for the United States [PDF] and Canada [PDF] on its website.

Apple has traditionally launched its Back to School program during June or early July, with the second Tuesday of July being the target date for several years in a row, but this year's launch has come later in the month than expected. Apple has also moved away from offering free Apple Store or iTunes gift cards for the first time since offering a free iPod touch with a qualifying Mac in 2010 and prior.

Apple's Back to School promotion runs from today through September 18, 2015 at Apple Retail Stores, and between August 6, 2015 and September 18, 2015 on the Apple Online Store, in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. Apple has not yet officially announced the promotion in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark or several other European countries that have offered the deal in previous years.

Juli Clover contributed to this report.

Update 9:30 AM Pacific: Apfelpage.de and iFun.de report that the same promotion will be offered in Germany starting August 6.

Article Link: Apple Launches 2015 Back to School Promotion, Offers Free Beats Solo2 Headphones With Mac Purchase
 

steve62388

macrumors 68040
Apr 23, 2013
3,100
1,962
From Apple's point of view, very clever. What's the build cost of these, $10? From customer's point of view, 'Great, Apple are giving me a crappy pair of headphones I don't want'.

At least gift cards are flexible in what you can choose to purchase.
 

Hook85

macrumors member
Jul 15, 2015
93
29
Sheffield, UK
I ordered a Macbook on July 12, which will deliver between August 4-10 (according to the online order). I ordered from the UK Education store. The document doesn't make it clear whether I'll be entitled to the beats.

Any ideas? :)
 
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neuropsychguy

macrumors 68030
Sep 29, 2008
2,678
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These are not "crappy" headphones, they just don't perform as well relative to their cost as some rival headphones. There are professional reviewers who argue that they sound quite good (and are a huge improvement over the Solo HDs). It's hard to complain when they are "free". Maybe this bundle is not as good (in the opinion of some) as the past iPod or gift card deals but it is a great bundle from a marketing perspective and a great bundle for many students.
 
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cere

macrumors 6502
Jun 3, 2008
465
52
Guys, its something that is free. Just because they have done something in the past doesn't mean they have to continue doing it now. Just be happy you are getting something, geez.
Sure, it's "free" with purchase. That doesn't mean it's anything to be happy about. They could have given out free onions or bedazzled socks, but that doesn't mean anyone should be happy about it.

It's supposed to a promotion, as in something to stir interest in a purchase. It fails in that regard for a lot of people.
 

groovyd

Suspended
Jun 24, 2013
1,227
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Atlanta
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