With Apple's annual back to school sale playing hooky, Amazon Prime Day could fill the void

Apple's back to school sale usually begins around the first of July, and with no sign of it halfway through the month, it's unlikely to make an appearance this year. Consumers who were waiting to pounce on a new Mac, iPad, or iPhone might look to Amazon's July 15 Prime Day instead.

The virtual retain giant hasn't let slip which products will be on sale or how big the discounts will be, but they do tout "more deals than Black Friday."

Amazon is already an attractive place to purchase Apple products, often selling devices for $50 to $100 less than Apple's MSRP. A current-gen 15-inch MacBook Pro configuration that normally goes for $2,499 can be had on Amazon for just $2,374.99, for instance.

Amazon's Prime Day sale is only open to Prime members, but anyone can sign up and receive a free 30-day trial. After the trial, Prime costs just $99 per year and grants members free two-day shipping, discounted overnight shipping, and unlimited access to Prime Instant Video.