AppleCare+ prices for Macs and iPads hiked
What's the story
Apple is raising the prices of its AppleCare+ plans for new Mac and iPad customers. The increase is $0.50 per month or $5 annually, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The move comes after a similar price hike was implemented last year for iPhones. However, existing subscribers will not see any change in their plan costs with this new pricing structure.
Price adjustments
Apple raised prices of its products last month
Last month, Apple announced price increases for a range of products, including iPads, Macs, the Vision Pro headset, HomePod devices, and the Apple TV 4K.
The hikes vary from $30 for the HomePod mini to as much as $4,200 for the M3 Ultra Mac Studio.
Tim Cook attributed these changes to an ongoing RAM shortage and said that while Apple has been trying to "shield" customers from this issue, "the situation has become unsustainable."
Pricing details
New rates for select devices
Under the new pricing structure, a plan for a new 13-inch MacBook Air has gone up to $7.99 from $7.49 or $79.99 from $74.99 annually.
For an iPad Air M4 11-inch, the protection plan now costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 annually instead of the previous rates of $6.49 and annual cost respectively.
The changes are likely to be reflected in other regions soon as well but have not yet been confirmed by Apple itself at this time.
Service benefits
What is AppleCare+ and why it matters?
AppleCare+ is an extended warranty service that kicks in after the standard one-year product support period ends.
It provides damage protection, priority 24/7 support, battery replacement services, and unlimited repairs for accidental damages.
Despite being considered expensive by some users initially, many find good value in the service once they start using it.
The plan for iPhones remains unchanged for now but could see changes once the new series launches later this year.