Apple today unveiled a new 10.5-inch iPad Air and a fifth-generation iPad mini, both rocking better chips and Apple Pencil support. The devices come with Apple’s standard 1-year limited warranty with an option to purchase an extended AppleCare+ coverage, priced at just $69.
The AppleCare+ warranties can cost quite a lot and may not always make sense. In this particular case, however, AppleCare+ is a no-brainer.
For just $69, you get the following perks:
- Extends your warranty to two years from the original purchase date.
- 24/7 priority access to Apple experts via chat or phone.
- Adds two incidents of accidental damage coverage, like a cracked screen or any other damage, each subject to a service fee of $49.
- Accidental damage to your Pencil for two years with a $29 fee per incident.
The prices are in US dollars and exclude applicable taxes.
To give you a better idea why you should consider this coverage, know that Apple charges a fee of $249 for accidental out-of-warranty damage to the new Air without AppleCare+.
Don’t also forget that you’re paying literally the same amount of money for the AppleCare protection for the new Air as AppleCare+ for the 9.7-inch iPad and iPad mini despite the Air having a bigger screen. And as if that weren’t enough, your Apple stylus is now eligible for AppleCare+ even if it wasn’t purchased alongside your iPad.
MacRumors has more:
Effective today, the Pencil no longer needs to be purchased at the same time as an iPad to be eligible for AppleCare+ coverage, according to an announcement shared with Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers today.
This means that if a customer has AppleCare+ for iPad, coverage now extends to any first-generation or second-generation Apple Pencil the person may own even if purchased separately.
A single $69 plan now covers both your precious iPad and Apple Pencil for two years from the date the plan is purchased. Summing up, your AppleCare+ coverage must still be added within 60 days of purchasing an iPad, but now it no longer matters when your Pencil was bought.
The $69 AppleCare+ warranty for iPad, iPad Air or iPad mini can be purchased standalone or financed with monthly payments of $3.49 for up to 24 months.