Apple Announces 'AppleCare One' Subscription Plan for Multiple Devices

[turbineseaplane]

Just remember, that they aren't offering something like this to increase value and reduce spend for consumers.

They've done the math and realized they will make more money by offering this.

 

[2DeedleD]

That’s 240$ per year. 720$ in 3 years. Who has had to spend this amount for a repair or replacement? Me never.

Good for YOU.

 

[jent]

Is this tied to one's Apple ID? It would be kind of cool to do something like iCloud+, which I share with my family, and have three of our iPhones covered, for example, despite us being three different people with different Apple IDs.

 

[jent]

This was probably part of the end game when they raised prices and canceled one time purchase option in retail stores last February.

That's frustrating, because as a one-time purchase I have been able to get some AppleCare+ coverage covered by my employer / as a line item under a freelance project's costs. Typically you need an actual, paid invoice in order to be able to submit it for reimbursement, so I'm basically losing this option.

And I say this as someone who will seriously consider the AppleCare One subscription for myself—it's just removing the one-time purchase option altogether that was a disappointing move.

 

[ericg301]

So? That is how insurance sometimes work. It's still probably lower than AppleCare.

Meanwhile, we did a $40k-ish homeowners claim on our house and barn roofs a couple years ago. Premium is the same now as it was before the claim. Shop around and pick your companies wisely.

I guarantee you a policy increase would be more than the cost of AppleCare.

Doesn’t matter if you shop around the claims stay with you.

I have a technology rider on my policy but it’s meant for something like a lighting strike that fries all my electronics and I’m out thousands of dollars.

Insurance is meant for catastrophic losses not a cracked screen.

 

[gomichaelgo]

I recently damaged my iPhone 16 Pro Max and paid the $650 or whatever to fix it at the Apple Store. I have gone back and forth with deciding to use Apple Care in the past and future and still come to the conclusion that if I were to pocket the cost of Apple Care and put it in a separate savings account for all my products (watch, computer, phone...) I would have quite a savings since I rarely need Apple Care or repairs. However, if I did have Apple Care, I know I wouldn't use a case on my phone, or be as "careful" with my devices.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

I guarantee you a policy increase would be more than the cost of AppleCare.

Doesn’t matter if you shop around the claims stay with you.

I have a technology rider on my policy but it’s meant for something like a lighting strike that fries all my electronics and I’m out thousands of dollars.

Insurance is meant for catastrophic losses not a cracked screen.

Hence why I just self-insure. If it breaks or needs repair, I'll just pay for it.

So far, in my 22ish years of Apple products, I've never had a device break or had to be fixed. I did have a free battery replacement done on my 6S, due to a recall. It's a personal-value risk assessment and for me, AppleCare isn't worth it.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

I don't understand the uproar for this new program as all it really offers is a chance for some AC+ users to save some money. AC+ is an optional additional cost. This isn't affecting the price of your hardware.

For a lot of people, it’s the idea that Apple made something that they don’t want and Apple’s job all of the time is to make things they want to buy. They rage against Mac Pro, they hate it’s wheels, they can’t stand the cloth or the Hermès watches because all these things mean they’re wasting precious time taking OTHER peoples money instead of theirs.

 

[noannualfee]

This made me laugh.

That said... this is a huge money spinner for Apple. More people on more subscriptions and just the occasional claim here and there is just juicy revenue. The value prop to the consumer that looks after their stuff is limited, although for families with young children or putzes then this could pay for itself over time.

But it’s true, right? I don’t think adding this will make anyone more lax in how they treat their devices. Just another layer of paid security for stuff they still try to protect on their person. Apple is going to love this.

 

[victorvictoria]

If you're spending that much on a Mac, get a personal article policy via your regular insurance provider. They are much more reasonable.

$1800 is the most I've ever spent on a computer, from Apple or otherwise and for that price, if it dies, I'll just pay for a new MacBook and be on my way.

Sounds like a plan! Spend $2,000 to avoid spending $240! With logic like that, you could be the Treasury Secretary!

 

[victorvictoria]

I hate subscriptions. $20/month? Why not offer a yearly plan at a discount, like say, $199? I might just do that, since we own at least 15 Apple devices, last I counted! And include that free AppleCare tech support. It's the best in the business!

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Sounds like a plan! Spend $2,000 to avoid spending $240! With logic like that, you could be the Treasury Secretary!

As I posted before, I've had Apple products for 22 years and never spent a penny on repairs or replacements, other than upgrades.

$240*22=$5280. So far I've spent 0.

Our homes and out-buildings, vehicles and such? Sure, it's worth paying for insurance. Personal electronics? Not so much.

 

[groove-agent]

I'm surprised it isn't called "AppleCare 26".

I'm holding out for the iPhone One. It's a folding iPhone that unfolds into an iPad, then you can dock via USBC and use it like a laptop/ desktop with proper task management. Totally off topic I know.

 

[technicalFoozle]

Can’t wait for AppleCare Two

You mean "Apple Care 2026"


EDIT: Someone beat me to the same comment and I can't delete.

 

[okkibs]

This looks good in theory but I see two glaring issues with it. First of all, we have over two dozen device in the family of which roughly half have AC+ but they are assigned to various accounts. I already had an issue once with buying AC+ for a family member's Apple Watch because it would only let me buy it for watches in my account. Ended up restoring that watch, pairing it to my iPhone to buy AC+, then restoring it once more and returning it so they can use it.

To this day I don't know how we'll ever request an express replacement if this watch should ever die because in their account the support app refuses to work and says that it's managed by someone else. But in my account I don't see it at all. I do see the watch in my iCloud subscriptions/payments but I can't initiate support from there.

Anyways: Am I expected to do the same thing with every watch and every pair of Airpods we have? My Airpods do keep breaking left and right (pun not intended but literally, we had quite a few free express replacements through AC+) so for those it makes the most sense to add them to Applecare One. But I can't be bothered to pair every single one of these to my iPhone just so I can add them to the plan.

And what happens to the one-time payments we already paid for? Some of these we got through back to school promotions at Apple where the AC+ fee itself was reduced. We have devices that are paid for to be covered into 2027 already.

Secondly, we do sell devices a lot as Apple products keep a good resale value so it makes sense for us to either hand these down to friends or sell them on craigslist. Currently I can offer an iPhone or Mac with a couple weeks of AC+ on it so the buyer knows they're covered if any issues should come up after the purchase. But I can't keep devices insured under my name that I no longer own.

It seems this plan makes the most sense for 3 expensive devices so should we just take the 3 most expensive Macs in our family and assign them to the plan? But again, all of them are already paid for 3 years of coverage. Unless Apple gives me a simple way to calculate savings I don't know if I am willing to bother if it turns out to be a couple bucks a month.

 

[CrysisDeu]

Never really understood Apple Care+. You sill have to pay (quite some amount) to fix your device with Apple Care+. You lose access to your device for some time. You device might come back in a worse state after the repair, which have happened in multiple occasions.

I’d rather just put on a case instead

 

[CrysisDeu]

I am waiting for Apple Car 1, please Apple

 

[utsava]

You’re overthinking it. Every Apple device is signed into an Apple Account—that’s the name at the top of the settings. If the Apple Account paying for AppleCare One isn’t in that field, it doesn’t qualify. I have 5 members in my Family Sharing. My wife and kids have their own Apple Account so they would need their own AppleCare One coverage.

You need to read the print carefully—those prices are From a given amount. The $3.49 for a Mac is the price for a Mac Mini—not for ALL Macs. The ‘From’ price of $9.99 for iPhones is for the 16E— For Pro phones, it’s now $13.99 a month I believe, regular iPhones $11.99. Monthly AppleCare+ for a 13” MacBook Air is $6.99, for a 14” MBP it’s $9.99 and for a $16” MBP it’s $14.99. Same goes for iPads—that listed ‘From’ price is for the cheapest iPad (A16). For an iPad Pro I believe it’s $7.99 per month.

Seems they need to add a family option to this plan. This is pretty impractical for a family. They let us share apps and media purchases in a family, why not device coverage? I'm guessing because they know people would just swap in their families broken iphone when it needs to be fixed, which would break their whole "the dealer always wins" algorithm.

 

[TVreporter]

Hey Tim, there’s this tiny country north of you called Canada. Can you include us but keep it the same price?

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

Wished they gave us the ability to add apple care 4 years within purchase with the regular apple care + too

 

[cardfan]

umm..no thanks..lol I'm sure there will be people stupid enough to do this though.

 

[sracer]

In 21 years of Apple device and Mac ownership I’ve never once paid for AC. For the confused, not boasting just stating a fact.

Same here. I never once paid for AC. I never once needed it. I've probably saved $1000's over all of those years. But for my adult daughter who drops her Apple devices on a daily basis, this change will be a good thing for her.

 

[CheffyDude]

I re-upped my Apple Care for my Mac Book Air for $75 a year.. 2 days later, spilled coffee (with cream and sugar) on it. So you never know.

 

[zinacef]

Never really understood Apple Care+. You sill have to pay (quite some amount) to fix your device with Apple Care+. You lose access to your device for some time. You device might come back in a worse state after the repair, which have happened in multiple occasions.

I’d rather just put on a case instead

When my iPhone 15 PM got completely smashed last year, I didn’t have to pay for any repairs; they just sent me a brand new replacement.

 

[FrozenDarkness]

i don't get this system. how will apple know if your device is in good condition?