Ever since Apple released Lion as a download from the Mac App Store, boxed software has been on the endangered species list. Now, the Cupertino, Calif. company tells educators only two titles will be available as boxed software.
In an email, a campus reseller says Apple with limited exceptions will end shipping boxed software. “This includes Mac OS X Snow Leopard, iLife, iWork, Apple Remote Desktop, and Aputure, among others.” The reseller urged campuses to particularly hurry if they wanted boxed copies of Snow Leopard. “We just received our final shipment.”
Only Logic Express and Logic Studio would still be available as boxed software, the email said. With the availability of the Cloud, vast storage farms and ubiquitous always-on connections, boxed software is quickly going the way of printed books as products quickly vanishing. No doubt we will see boxed software become big-sellers on eBay and other venues of ‘retro’ items.