As the biggest shopping season of the year, Christmas, is drawing nearer, Apple has announced a free engraving service for the iPad with a view to attract more customers.

The free engraving service allows online festive shoppers to embellish their tablet computer purchases with a customized quip of their choice.

Announcing the free engraving service, Apple said, "Make it a gift they'll never forget - or make it uniquely yours. Just add a personal message such as a name, a favourite saying or song title, an 'I love you' or 'Happy Birthday,' just about anything.”

However, potential shoppers must know precisely what they want to have permanently written on the rear of the popular tablet computer as the manufacturer has stressed that engraved iPads, which have longer shipping time, are non-refundable.

According to some fresh surveys, the Apple iPad will be one of the most popular luxury Christmas gifts this year. Some of the market analysts are even expressing concerns that the supplier may not be able to meet demand during Christmas season.

During the period of three months ended September, Apple sold 4.2 million iPads, 800,000 units short of the estimated sales of five million.