Apple Launches 2017 Back to School Promotion: Free Beats With Select Mac or iPad Pro Models

[mrarick]

What a worthless promotion! Like many of the other comments, I would prefer a straight up discount or at least a gift card for the Apple Store. There are so many reasons this is a bad promo:
1. Already own Beats
2. Already own another headset/airpods
3. Don't use headsets
4. The hassle of reselling them
5. Devalues the Beats brand

 

[vmachiel]

What a worthless promotion! Like many of the other comments, I would prefer a straight up discount or at least a gift card for the Apple Store. There are so many reasons this is a bad promo:
1. Already own Beats
2. Already own another headset/airpods
3. Don't use headsets
4. The hassle of reselling them
5. Devalues the Beats brand

It's not for you then. Apple doesn't owe you anything.

 

[EugW]

The problem with both Beats and the Airpods is that the sound quality is crap.

Better pay more for something that sounds decent.

I don't have the Beats yet, but the AirPods are OK. Not great, but OK. But more importantly, they are wireless, and very convenient.

I use them more than my wireless Sennheiser RS180, because the RS180 still needs to be plugged in, with this massive transmitter, and I use them more than my wired Sennheiser HD 598. I also use them more than my wired Etymotics 4S/4P.

In terms of overall sound quality I'd say the Sennheiser HD 598 and the Etymotics are noticeably better than both the Sennheiser RS180 and the AirPods, but nonetheless I use the AirPods the most. The Etymotics are now strictly my airplane and lawnmowing headphones (since they effectively function as earplugs), and for most other stuff I use the AirPods. However, if I just want to have a quiet music listening session by myself at home, then I use the wired Sennheiser HD 598.

 

[Mankub]

If I buy a macbook pro and an iPad pro will I get 2 free headphones?

 

[Glope]

I've waited this long for them to launch - hopefully, I don't have to wait the same length for them to launch it in the UK!
Would've preferred a voucher but hey ho won't say no

 

[aleonardoa]

Of course... the week after I ordered my new iMac.

I ordered mine last week. I called them up today and asked them for the promotion. They're shipping them to my house. Never hurts to ask.

 

[Tech198]

Apple still likes the Beats . With all the fuss of the Epod's, u'd think Apple would be promoting these more.... I dunno why Apple goes for Beats always... its not like their the only ones they sell or sound good.

 

[pdaholic]

I've been eyeballing the iPad Pro 10.5 256GB, and this is still the best deal out there now.

The way I see it:
$730 iPad Pro - 2% cash back on my card ($15) = $715
sell BeatsX on eBay, maybe profit $60 after shipping.
Total: $655 + tax + time wasted on eBay

I'd say that would come close to what we will see in a few months for Black Friday. Still debating...

 

[hokiepokie07]

I see one person has tried and was successful, but I just bought my iPad Pro a little over two weeks ago, would I still be eligible for the headphones?

 

[murdoc2k]

Missed it by 3 months!! Damn it!

 

[aleonardoa]

I see one person has tried and was successful, but I just bought my iPad Pro a little over two weeks ago, would I still be eligible for the headphones?

They way I see it, if you're within the two-weeks no questions asked return policy then it would behoove them to give you the promotion because you could potentially return the item and repurchase it, no? If you're only a little bit beyond that time period the only way to know is if you call up Apple, turn on the charm and ask them nicely. You'd be surprised how much leeway you'll get if you master the art of schmoozing.

 

[billysea]

Here's your free gift.

Let the whining begin!!!
[doublepost=1499874430][/doublepost]
Do you have problems with them falling out while running? That was the thing that was keeping me from buying them to use while riding a bike.

I like the AirPods but they DO fall off while running. Not the moment when I start running, but when I start sweating it will slip off constantly.

I had to buy another pair of wireless headphone recently because of this.

 

[hokiepokie07]

They way I see it, if you're within the two-weeks no questions asked return policy then it would behoove them to give you the promotion because you could potentially return the item and repurchase it, no? If you're only a little bit beyond that time period the only way to know is if you call up Apple, turn on the charm and ask them nicely. You'd be surprised how much leeway you'll get if you master the art of schmoozing.

Just found my receipt and totally forgot I bought it at BestBuy, ugh! I guess that means I am out of luck.
[doublepost=1499889012][/doublepost]

I like the AirPods but they DO fall off while running. Not the moment when I start running, but when I start sweating it will slip off constantly.

I had to buy another pair of wireless headphone recently because of this.

That's the main reason I have not purchased them. I've always had those types of ear buds fall out of my ear when running. I'm a fan of the ones that wrap around my ear as they stay in when I run.

 

[Royksöpp]

Free Beats! Take it or eat sh**t! Free is free. Some people (me) actually like Beats and would be pleased to get a new pair especially now that they all feature the W1 chip. I got the Space Gray Solo 2 when they did the education discount in 2015 and I still use them all the time alongside my AirPods.

 

[JungeQuex]

I don't know the ins and outs of business, but I'm not sure what the acquisition of the beats brand was really for. Maybe they owned some patents that Apple wanted? Who knows. Apparently the HomePod has an excellent speaker set so perhaps they wanted to enrich their speaker technology.

Cool to get them for free, but if I were a student I would prefer airpods over those giant monstrosities. As others have said in this thread, I would just buy the computer at a discount and then sell the headphones.

 

[trsblader]

What a worthless promotion! Like many of the other comments, I would prefer a straight up discount or at least a gift card for the Apple Store. There are so many reasons this is a bad promo:
1. Already own Beats
2. Already own another headset/airpods
3. Don't use headsets
4. The hassle of reselling them
5. Devalues the Beats brand

There is not a single promotion/sale that can satisfy 100% of people. Not being exactly what you're looking for doesn't make the promotion worthless. You don't have to accept the free headphones and you can still receive the education discount.

 

[MICHAELSD]

You obviously don't understand marketing.

If I give you a $100 item for free for buying something, I'm NOT out $100. I'm only out what it costs to make that item, like $50. Your perceived value is $100, but my cost is $50.

If I gave you a price reduction of $100, then my cost is $100. Not as good for me.

Additionally, Apple gets more people using Beats and can talk about those increased numbers. They can't do that if they just give cash back. And giving $50 off sounds worse than 'free $100 beats'.

This is why so many stores, like Target, want to give away $25 gift cards with $100 purchase instead of just $25 off. First, it encourages people to come back to Target, second that $25 really doesn't cost their bottom line $25.

The Beats Solo3 are $299 from Apple. They're worth ~ $200 since Beats no longer suck.
[doublepost=1499890680][/doublepost]

I don't know the ins and outs of business, but I'm not sure what the acquisition of the beats brand was really for. Maybe they owned some patents that Apple wanted? Who knows. Apparently the HomePod has an excellent speaker set so perhaps they wanted to enrich their speaker technology.

Cool to get them for free, but if I were a student I would prefer airpods over those giant monstrosities. As others have said in this thread, I would just buy the computer at a discount and then sell the headphones.

They just wanted Beats for the talent and brand perception.

 

[EugW]

If I buy a macbook pro and an iPad pro will I get 2 free headphones?

They told me yes.

 

[GIDoc]

I called Abt Electronics Chicago, and they were able to price match the Apple offer. No sales tax to CA with $25 shipping.

 

[anthonymoody]

I called Abt Electronics Chicago, and they were able to price match the Apple offer. No sales tax to CA with $25 shipping.

Meaning computer and free beats?

 

[lakerchick4life]

I've been eyeballing the iPad Pro 10.5 256GB, and this is still the best deal out there now.

The way I see it:
$730 iPad Pro - 2% cash back on my card ($15) = $715
sell BeatsX on eBay, maybe profit $60 after shipping.
Total: $655 + tax + time wasted on eBay

I'd say that would come close to what we will see in a few months for Black Friday. Still debating...

Yeah I am just going to wait til Black Friday/Cyber Monday..I remember last year Target had 15 percent off their entire site and iPads were included..besides, Im still trying after over a MONTH to sell my iPad Pro 9.7 inch, no one wants it even with included accessories so might have to sell it to the store eventually if no one bites on Craigslist..too bad Apple stores don't take the iPad Pro's back

 

[GIDoc]

Meaning computer and free beats?

Yes computer and beats plus Apple edu price

 

[pdaholic]

Yeah I am just going to wait til Black Friday/Cyber Monday..I remember last year Target had 15 percent off their entire site and iPads were included..besides, Im still trying after over a MONTH to sell my iPad Pro 9.7 inch, no one wants it even with included accessories so might have to sell it to the store eventually if no one bites on Craigslist..too bad Apple stores don't take the iPad Pro's back

I'm curious as to how much you're asking for the 9.7? Best Buy is having some great deals on it, currently $125 off but was $150 off with their anti-Prime sale. $250 off the cellular model with contract. That definitely will make it hard to sell the 9.7 used. I still can't justify buying the 9.7 with the 10.5 looking so good.

I agree though, 15% off would be how much I'd prefer to spend on it. But then again it's a 4 month wait till Black Friday, and still uncertain how much of a discount we'll get.

Apparently Walmart had some big launch sell that I missed.

 

[Imdougurnot]

Yay! How long will promo last?

Try reading the article.

 

[DevNull0]

I don't have the Beats yet, but the AirPods are OK. Not great, but OK. But more importantly, they are wireless, and very convenient.

$170 for "OK" sound just sounds horrible to me.

I have platronics backbeat go 2 wireless headphones. They were $50 and sound "OK". I almost never use them because they're almost never charged. Everyone once in a while I throw them on the charger, use them until they die and forget about charging them again. They also came with a charging case.

The ones I have in my ears a few hours a day are Bose SoundSports. They're wired, but they're light, comfortable, and sound magnificent. And they never need charging. They were less than half the price of the "OK" Airpods.

That's just an absurd price to pay for wireless in terms of dollars and sound quality especially when it brings all the inconvenience of another device to keep charged.