iLounge

Apple has officially launched its annual Back to School promotion. Unlike past years, which saw the company bundle a free iPod with the purchase of a qualifying Mac with Education Pricing, Apple is now offering a $100 Gift Card under the same conditions. The Gift Card can be used on the iTunes Store, App Store, iBookstore, or Mac App Store, although the focus of the promotional materials is on the latter. Qualifying systems include the company’s MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro laptop computers, as well as its iMac desktops. Full terms and conditions are available here.

The switch to a Gift Card instead of an iPod may indicate a sea change at Apple, as the iPod + Mac promotion ran for six straight years, beginning with an offer of a free iPod mini, then changing to include an iPod nano, and eventually adding the iPod touch. The change is also notable in that Apple has also traditionally used the promotion as a tool to help clear out iPod inventory prior to its annual music event, traditionally held in early September.