Apple Launches Rebate Program For Cube, Laptops

Looking to boost sluggish demand for its PowerMac G4 Cube and increase sales of PowerBook laptops, Apple Computer on Friday launched a mail-in rebate program that’s good through the end of the year.

Apple is offering a $300 rebate to consumers who buy the Cube, plus an Apple monitor, and a $200 rebate on its PowerBook line of laptops.

The move follows Apple’s warning two weeks ago that sales in the recently completed quarter would be “substantially below expectations” because of weak September sales.

The offer is good only for computers bought starting Friday through resellers and Apple’s online store, but not Apple’s education pricing programs.

“We want to encourage even more people to experience how great personal computing can be using an Apple PowerBook or G4 Cube,” Apple said. The company declined to comment on the financial effect of the rebates, citing a quiet period before it releases earnings next week.

With the rebate, the price of the lowest-end Cube drops to $1,499, excluding the monitor. The eligible screens range from Apple’s $499, 17-inch CRT monitor to the $3,999, 22-inch, flat-screen Cinema Display.

David Bailey, an analyst at Gerard Klauer Mattison, said earlier this week that he would welcome measures such as rebates, which could improve Apple’s position going into the holiday buying season.

“It appears that initial weak demand for the Cube was somewhat caused by the price being high,” Bailey said.

The Cube has also been criticized for blemishes that some have called cracks. Apple has said the marks are “mold lines” that are part of the normal manufacturing process.