Apple has today launched its Back to School deals for students. Similar to last year, Apple will bundle a free pair of Beats headphones with the purchase of an eligible Apple product for college. If you buy an iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro, Mac Pro or MacBook Air, you get a free pair of Beats Solo2 wireless headphones worth $299. iPad Pro, iPhone 6s and iPhone 6 buyers can get a free pair of Beats Powerbeats2 wireless headphones, worth $199 retail.

Standard Apple student education discount also applies on Mac and iPad purchases. Although this is one of the best times to buy a Mac or iPad direct from Apple Store, you may save money from buying elsewhere …

As always, you should check out 9to5Toys for the latest deals on Apple tech which will usually work out cheaper than the effective discount Apple is offering with its free Beats (worth up to $299). Just today, Best Buy has discounted the latest generation MacBook Airs, as low as $599 with an .edu email. The top-spec iPad Pro is also currently available at at $279 discount over the normal retail price.

Also note that deep discounts are also available for the headphones themselves, so the headline price cut for Back to School is not as good as it first appears. For example, the ‘$299’ free Beats Solo2 wireless headphones are being sold on Amazon right now for $195. The Back to School deal offered by Apple is generous but, as always, it’s worth shopping around to maximize savings.

Interestingly, all of Apple’s free headphone giveaways this year are wireless. This is yet another indication that Apple wants to move away from the analogue 3.5mm headphone jack, with many sources suggesting that the iPhone 7 will drop the port completely.

The Apple Back to School promotion runs from June 2 through September 5. To claim the offer, buy a Mac, iPhone or iPad Pro at an Apple Retail Store or the Online Apple Store for Education. Buyers must be enrolled into an eligible higher education institution or college to take advantage of the deal.

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