Apple quietly releases iLife '09 hardware up-to-date program

It works like this: if you purchased a Mac (even a refurbished one) on or after 06 January 2009 that doesn't come with iLife '09 you can upgrade to iLife ‘09 for $9.95 plus tax.

The reason is that all Macs sold after last Tuesday's Macworld Expo keynote address are sold as "shipping with iLife '09." To be able to claim that Apple needs to make iLife '09 available inexpensively to every Mac sold on or after that date.

There are a couple of important exceptions that are new to the iLife '09 program according to CentralGadget but for the most part, this is something every Mac buyer should know about right now.

There is one odd exception that we found in the terms, absent from previous Apple Up-to-Date programs. The program specifically excludes open-box and display Macs sold from Apple’s Retail Stores. We suggest bringing this up with the Apple Retail Store manager if you plan to buy one of these systems, as the prices of these systems are usually negotiable (and they may simply knock off the price of iLife ‘09 prior to purchase, if you ask).

You can find out more at Apple’s new iLife ‘09 Up-to-Date Web site.

(Tip: Chris Price)