Best Buy recently announced that they will match Apple’s $100 App Store credit for the ‘Back to School’ promotion with its own $100 gift card. Apple announced their annual Back to School promo only last week and replaced the typical iPod touch giveaway with a $100 App Store credit. Many customers were unhappy that Apple was offering very little for the purchase of a Mac.

However, many also argued that the $100 credit alongside Apple’s educational discount on the computer is a deal that is definitely worth taking. Best Buy will be matching this promotion with a $100 Best Buy gift card for the same qualifying customers although there has been no word on any further discounts. This promotion is unadvertised, and cannot be found on Best Buy’s online store, but instead must be asked for in person. It seems that Apple’s App Store credit of $100, plus the discount is worth more to a college student than a $100 worth of Best Buy products.

Apple’s Back to School promotion is open to college students, students accepted to college, parents buying for college students or faculty/staff at any grade level. Qualifying computers include the MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, and Mac Pro. Best Buy’s promotion is also only available to those mentioned above.

{via MacRumors}

Earlier today, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) launched it’s annual Back to School promotion, except this year, they’ve mixed it up a bit. Instead of offering a free iPod touch with the purchase of a Mac, Apple is giving students $100 App Store Credit.

When you buy a new qualifying Mac with Apple education pricing* from June 16, 2011, through September 20, 2011, you’ll get a $100 Back to School Card to use on the Mac App Store, the App Store, the iTunes Store, and the iBookstore.

Many customers believe that a physical product offered by Apple (iPod touch) is much better than free gift cards. Although that may be true, the simple idea that Apple is offering something free for students is better than nothing, and $100 worth of apps is great for purchasing all the software you need for college.

Apple did not state why they made the change from iPod touch to the $100 credit, however, we can assume that it’s because Apple does not carry any older generation iPod touch at this point. In the past, after introducing a new iPod touch at Apple’s September event, Apple would offer the older models in it’s Back to School promo. The Back to School promotion is set to run from June 16th until September 20th, 2011, well into the beginning of the school year.

We recently reported that Apple is expected to announce its annual Back to School promo in the coming week and now BGR is reporting that this years educational deal could be announced during WWDC.

It has been rumoured that the promotion could be extended to include iPad 2 as well. The rumored details say that everyone who buys a new Mac with their educational discount would receive a free iPod touch or $200 off the cost of an iPad 2.

For the past few years, Apple has kicked off new educational promotions in late May or early June. The promo usually clears out Apple’s stock of older model iPods. However, this year poses a new dilemma for Apple since they do not carry any older models of iPod touches.

The rumors seem to make sense, since the iPad has taken its place among educational instituions and is very popular among college students.

WWDC 2011 is widely expected to include Mac OS X Lion announcements, iOS 5 announcements, as well as the new educational promotion.

Are you excited about iPad 2 discounts? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

AppleInsider reported that according to their sources Apple’s annual back to school promotion will kick off early next week. The school promotion is expected to be one of the topics during the 10th anniversary Apple Store retail meetings on May 22nd.

Apple as early as next week will once again announce its annual back-to-school promotion that has historically offered a free or discounted iOS device to customers purchasing of a new Mac, an event that may prove to be one of the main topics of discussion at the much-hyped employee meetings set to be held at the company’s retail stores this Sunday.

Apple’s Back to School promotion allows customers to receive a free iPod touch with the purchase of a MacBook. This is expected to be a part of the retail meetings which will highlight the store layout and promotional changes in the company.

The Cupertino based company will most likely be giving out the new 4th Generation iPod touch, since they currently do not have stock of any old iPods. This will be different than in the past where Apple gave older models out for free with the purchase of a Mac.

Apple’s back-to-school promotion is a great time for college or University students to purchase their new Mac through Apple’s education channel.

{via AppleInsider}

Apple has once again launched its annual ‘Back to School’ promotion. If you’re a college or University student then with your new Mac purchase through Apple’s education channel you can get a free 8GB iPod touch model.

If you’re a college student or a faculty or staff member at any grade level and you buy a new Mac with Apple education pricing from May 25 through September 7, 2010, you can get a free 8GB iPod touch.* No wonder they call these the best years of your life.

The promotion runs through September 7th, 2010, and every customer is limited to five rebates per household.

Ready to buy a Mac for college? Visit Apple.com and you could qualify for a free iPod touch!