14 DAY TRIAL // Three ‘Special Limited Time Price’ offers can be found over at Apple’s Special Deals section where refurbished products, including Macs and iPods, can be purchased at a discount.
The offers start with a base-model iPad, 16GB Wi-Fi which currently goes for $429 - a $70 price drop, or a 14% discount on the tablet’s original retail price.
An additional two Wi-Fi iPads have their prices cut by a cool $100, one being the 32GB model which goes for $499 (the actual retail price of the low-end 16GB configuration), and the 64GB model with a $599 price tag.
The Special Deals area for iPads also lists availability for Wi-Fi + 3G versions of the tablet which (evidently) cost more, but are still cheaper than their off-the-shelf counterparts, as they are pre-owned and have undergone Apple’s refurbishment process (more info on Apple refurbs below).
In related news, the iPad is officially one year old this week.
We celebrated the tablet’s first anniversary with a special report, which included Apple’s original January 27, 2010 announcement, complete with a statement from Apple’s Chief Executive Officer, Steve Jobs.
The iPad has done great for Apple with almost 15 million units shipped to date.
Following the tablet’s introduction in 2010, analysts had predicted that Cupertino would sell no more than 3.3 million units in its first year in the wild.
About Apple refurbished products
Apple Certified Refurbished Products are pre-owned products that undergo Apple's stringent refurbishment process, prior to being offered for sale. They are returned under Apple's Return and Refund Policies.
While only some units are brought back because of technical issues, all of them undergo the company's rigorous quality-refurbishment process.
Service and support include 90 days of telephone support and a one-year warranty. You have the option of purchasing an AppleCare Protection Plan for your refurb, while shipping is free in the US.