AirPods 4 offered for free as Back to School promo in four countries

AppleInsider

Following the holidays, Apple has started up some Back to School promotions in a few countries, offering education customers a pair of AirPods 4.

AirPods 4th gen

While not the main Back to School period for sales, Apple is still offering bargains to customers in a few territories, as younger Apple users head back to the classroom.

Running from January 8 until March 13, customers of Apple's higher-education store can get a free pair of AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. Spotted by MacRumors, they are free with the purchase of a New MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or iMac.

If customers would prefer AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Max instead, then they can be bought as part of the same offer, but discounted the price of the AirPods 4. There's a second offer providing an Apple Pencil with USB-C for free with the purchase of a new iPad Air or iPad Pro.

The sales are available only in Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, and South Korea, to qualified purchasers from the higher education store. That includes full and part-time students, lecturers and staff at accredited institutions, as well as parents purchasing on behalf of a student.

These offers are on top of discounts that are being provided under discounted education pricing, with other offers also available. These include 20% off AppleCare+ purchases, an Apple Music Student Plan with free Apple TV+, and a Pro Apps bundle that includes Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro.



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pslice

Just wondering if these countries are subsidizing this program. Would be nice if Apple offered it in the US. 

mpantone

pslice said:

Just wondering if these countries are subsidizing this program. Would be nice if Apple offered it in the US. 

These sort of promotions are funded from the marketing divisions for each country. Thus Apple Japan will do something different than Apple Corporate (US) or Apple Korea. They all have separate budgets and can choose what is the most effective use of marketing funds for their particular market.

Thus Apple Japan may not have much in the way of Black Friday sales, they will do their Lucky Bag promotion to celebrate the New Year (the Japanese follow the Gregorian calendar like Western countries). Some of the Southeast Asian countries will do special logos commemorating the astrological symbol of the year which isn't relevant to Western cultures.

These days Apple Corporate (US) seems to have settled on using much of their promotional marketing budget to fund Apple gift cards for qualified purchases rather than hardware product giveaways.

entropys

The US has its back to school promotions at its beginning of the school year too.  It’s just that is after the northern hemisphere summer.

The Apple Australia education store deal is:

• MacBook Air, Pro and iMac receive AUD$299 off AirPods 4 with ANC, Pro 2 or Max.
• iPad Pro and Air, receive free Apple Pencil.

That means the AirPods 4 with ANC are free, the APP 2 still cost AUD$100, and the max AUD$600

Last year was gift cards which I would prefer tbh.
Maybe it’s a tell that the M4 MBA won’t be out until after 12 March when this promotion ends. That’s the way it usually seems to work.
Apple never asks for proof you are at uni btw.