Apple Lowers Prices of AppleCare+ Plans for M1 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro [Updated]

[MacRumors]

Apple today lowered the prices of AppleCare+ plans for MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro models equipped with the M1 chip. Coverage offered by the plans, as well as accidental damage fees, appear to remain unchanged.

In the United States, AppleCare+ for the MacBook Air now costs $199, down from $249. The new price applies to both M1 and Intel-based MacBook Air models, although Apple no longer sells the Intel-based model directly.

For the 13-inch MacBook Pro, Apple has split AppleCare+ into two separate plans for the M1 and Intel-based models, with pricing for the M1 model lowered to $249, down from $269. Notably, the price of AppleCare+ for the Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Pro remains $269, so customers opting for the Apple silicon model now receive a slight discount.

The new lower prices are also available in other countries we've checked, such as Canada, with discounts varying based on the local currency.

Customers who recently purchased AppleCare+ for one of the affected MacBook models can contact Apple Support for assistance with cancelling their current AppleCare+ plan and purchasing a new one at the lower price, according to information obtained by MacRumors, but Apple did not provide a cutoff date for eligibility.

AppleCare+ for Mac provides up to two incidents of accidental damage protection every 12 months, each subject to a service fee of $99 for screen damage or external enclosure damage, or $299 for other damage. AppleCare+ also provides 24/7 priority access to Apple's technical support representatives by online chat or phone.

Update: The lower AppleCare+ prices for the 13-inch MacBook Air and MacBook Pro powered with the M1 chip are now available in the United Kingdom.

Article Link: Apple Lowers Prices of AppleCare+ Plans for M1 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro [Updated]

 

[alexandr]

i wish the pro discount was as good as the one for air, but it's always nice when they lower prices, rather than raise them)

 

[WestonHarvey1]

Must be dividends from not having to constantly replace keyboards.

 

[Alex3917]

Given that the Intel chips are no longer cooking the logic boards of every computer every two years, I guess it makes sense.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Seems like many Apple fans are not buying the Apple care with new macs.

 

[Spectrum]

Just curious: Does regular AppleCare still exist? (i.e. without damage cover).

 

[krspkbl]

Seems like many Apple are not buying the Apple care with new macs.

yeah Apple ain't doing this out the goodness of their heart. if they could get away with keeping the higher price they would.

 

[Mr. Dee]

Never have, never will. Except for the normal wear and tear, Apple devices I have are just as good as when I bought them.

 

[fourthtunz]

Seems like many Apple are not buying the Apple care with new macs.

Usually they are reliable enough so that I've never bought it.
Just sold my 2011 MacBook pro and it was working fine.
I have 2 2014, macbook pros a 2018 mac mini and the M1 MacBook air they are all working fine.
Never had problems with macs in 30 years of using them.

 

[krspkbl]

Never have, never will. Except for the normal wear and tear, Apple devices I have are just as good as when I bought them.

not in my experience. i've had MacBooks die after a couple years. i remember having to pay £300-400 to fix a MacBook (which died 6 months later). if i had got AppleCare that would've been much better. if i had applecare i'd have got it fixed again but i refused to pay another £100-400.

all apple products i buy now i take the price of applecare+ into account now. the prices out of warranty are ridiculous and macbooks (again in my experience) are severely prone to break down. iphones/ipads not so much but i like to get applecare anyway incase of accidents.

 

[svish]

Good news. AppleCare is beneficial if something goes wrong.

 

[HiVolt]

Just curious: Does regular AppleCare still exist? (i.e. without damage cover).

Doesn't look like it. I just added a base model M1 MBP and only AC+ came up as an option, $279 Canadian dollars, which is $26 more if you convert $199 USD to CAD.

Apple never uses the current exchange when pricing stuff. We always get the shaft, nor do they ever periodically update the prices as exchange rate fluctuates.

 

[Absolute Trainwreck]

Never have, never will. Except for the normal wear and tear, Apple devices I have are just as good as when I bought them.

It’s about peace of mind. I can bang around my phone and watch and only be worried about a hundred bucks or so instead of like 1500.

plus when it’s close to expiry whoops it fell in the tub, brand new phone.

it really does pay for itself honestly, most of the time

 

[ThomasJL]

Tim Cook is a stingy and greedy guy. There were already expensive high premiums due to high profit margins that were charged under Steve Jobs. But Cook raised prices across the entire Mac line (and other product lines) by around 25%.

 

[RedTheReader]

it really does pay for itself honestly, most of the time

I can completely understand the peace of mind factor, but how does that relate to it paying for itself?

 

[ghanwani]

Never had AC+ on anything. I did buy AC after a year on previous MacBooks. But Apple is no longer offering it for my MBA, so right now I’m self-insured.

 

[coredev]

Tim Cook is a stingy and greedy guy. There were already expensive high premiums due to high profit margins that were charged under Steve Jobs. But Cook raised prices across the entire Mac line (and other product lines) by around 25%.

It's been 10 years since Cook took over, so part of that price increase could be caused by inflation, no? Also perhaps you are getting a better product than ten years ago.
But just maybe I'm wrong, and TC is just a greedy guy.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Glad to see a lower cost.

 

[Stella]

Usually they are reliable enough so that I've never bought it.
Just sold my 2011 MacBook pro and it was working fine.
I have 2 2014, macbook pros a 2018 mac mini and the M1 MacBook air they are all working fine.
Never had problems with macs in 30 years of using them.

LOL - I've had the opposite experience, always needed AppleCare for my last several MacBook Pros!

I'd rather NOT need AppleCare...

 

[adamjackson]

On the phone now to get my $49 back (Education was $249 and is now $199)

1. EDIT: apple is also giving me free AirPods since I qualify for the promotion announced today.
2. EDIT2: 15 minutes talking to 2 different people I was transferred to a 3rd person who has no idea who I am so now I have to repeat myself again. I thought Apple was better at this.
3. EDIT3: 28 minutes now, I'm now being told I can't get a return difference.
4. EDIT4: AirPods for free are now added but they can't do AppleCare at the store level..38 minutes in so far and transferring to the 5th person.
5. EDIT5: 43 minutes in. I'm now talking to the 6th person. "Can I get your first and last name?"
6. EDIT6: 51 Minutes in. "Sorry we see this as $249 on our side so we can't give you a lower price" I provided them the new AppleCare+ for MacBook Pro SKU which is S9733LL/A/ which is $199 https://www.apple.com/us-hed/shop/product/S9733LL/A/applecare-for-13-inch-macbook-pro-m1
7. EDIT7: I'm being transferred again. "I've never seen $199 before. can we screen share?" FFS
8. EDIT8: 1 hour and 10 minutes in, "we'll refund the $49 difference and you'll receive an email receipt"

Well..that was more than painful.

 

[coredev]

it really does pay for itself honestly, most of the time

Bought AC with a MacBook Pro once, never needed it.
I had repairs on a Mac once (back in 2002) and an iPad, but both shortly after the purchase so it was within warranty.
Don't agree that AC pays for itself.

 

[MBAir2010]

Just curious: Does regular AppleCare still exist? (i.e. without damage cover).

think of apple care just health care, depending what country the injured lives in.
in the USA there is no health care because the medical staff do not care.
they dose what ever the ailment is and send 'em home!

 

[cmaier]

Seems like many Apple fans are not buying the Apple care with new macs.

What makes you think that? More likely the repair costs are lower.

 

[Archmage]

I recently got a MacBook Air. I have 4 days left to add AppleCare+ according to  > About This Mac > Service. I clicked Add and my only purchase option is $89.99/year. I don't see the $199 option. If I go with this, in a year, do I get the option to add another year for an additional $89.99?

 

[cmaier]

Usually they are reliable enough so that I've never bought it.
Just sold my 2011 MacBook pro and it was working fine.
I have 2 2014, macbook pros a 2018 mac mini and the M1 MacBook air they are all working fine.
Never had problems with macs in 30 years of using them.

I’ve never had a mac that did NOT need AppleCare. Keyboard replacements, swollen batteries, screen coating peeling, broken usb-c ports, audio jack stopped working, etc. I believe most of the machines I’ve owned since 2008 other than one of my MacBook airs has benefited from apple care. At least one MacBook Air, four MacBook pros, two MacBooks, and an imac (though the imac problem was due to careless handling when it was being shipped across the country)