Apple Ends iWork, MobileMe Rebate Programs

Apple’s US$30 discount on iWork and MobileMe purchases when buying a new Mac has quietly come to an end. The rebate programs ended on Monday, and retailers have received notice from Apple telling them to remove promotional signage related to the discount offer, according to 9 to 5 Mac.

MobileMe and iWork discounts dumpedApple ends MobileMe and iWork discounts

The Mac, iPhone and iPad maker didn’t offer any explanation as to why the discout program has been discontinued, leading to speculation that this may be another step in the company’s rumored plans to overhaul the MobileMe service. The usual unnamed sources claim Apple is working on new features for MobileMe that include online music storage, social media and data storage, although the company is sticking with its usual policy of not commenting on unannounced products.

Apple’s annual World Wide Developer Conference is set scheduled for June, and the company could use the event to unveil new MobileMe features. Rumors also claim the updates could happen before the end of April.

Adding to the notion that MobileMe is due for an update is the fact that Apple stopped selling boxed license codes in retail stores earlier this year. Customers can still purchase an annual subscription online, however, at the Apple Web site for US$99.

iWork ‘09 is still the most current version of Apple’s office productivity suite. The application bundle includes Pages, Keynote and Numbers, and is expected to get an update to iWork ‘11 sometime soon.

Despite the flurry of rumors, Apple hasn’t offered up any confirmations or denials, so it looks like we’ll have to wait for the company’s official announcement.