Apple today will be rolling out a couple of significant changes to its AppleCare support offerings. As we detailed in a report last month regarding Apple’s future plans for AppleCare, Apple will making a significant push for its premium AppleCare+ service. AppleCare+ is the iPhone and iPad protection plan offering that provides support for an additional two years (on top of the free 90 days of support) and support for up to two incidents of accidental damage.
Previously, customers were required to buy the plan within 30 days of purchase of an iPhone or iPad, but today’s change brings that purchase window to 60 days. This gives customers more time to decide if they will need enhanced support for their mobile Apple devices. The AppleCare+ plan costs $99 for both recent iPhone and iPad models. The plan can be purchased both via Apple’s Online Store or inside of official Apple retail stores. The AppleCare+ change is supported in all AppleCare+ regions except Japan, where the timeframe remains 30 days…
In order to boost usage of AppleCare+, Apple is discontinuing the previous, less-expensive AppleCare protection plan (without support for accidental damage) for both the iPhone and iPad. This change will be going into effect today in the United States, Canada, and Japan, and the shift will likely take place in other regions in the future. This move is significant as Apple is solely offering either the standard 90 days of support that comes free with iPhones and iPads or its most premium support service. This push will boost AppleCare+ sales numbers, revenues, and likely the amount of pay-per-incident fees Apple collects as some users may not want to pay nearly $100 for AppleCare+.
Apple’s website has now been updated to reflect the changes, and AppleCare phone support and Apple Store support employees will be made aware of the changes today. Apple has not made any changes to AppleCare support today for Macs, iPods, and other non-iPhone/iPad devices.
Apple’s push for AppleCare+ comes a few weeks after AppleCare vice president Tara Brunch expressed the importance of the program to AppleCare support technicians. Bunch said that AppleCare+ has had over 30 million signups and has registered over $2b in revenue for Apple since its debut in 2011. The changes going into effect today will certainly increase those numbers. Bunch also hinted that Apple is developing further improvements for AppleCare+ such as improved iPhone insurance plans to battle carrier offerings as well as an expansion internationally. Bunch said Apple is also researching a Mac variant for the program, but such a service seems far off due to legal and financial complications.
In addition to AppleCare+ changes, Bunch earlier detailed upcoming screen share support for iOS devices and improvements to Apple ID management. Both of those changes are expected by the fall. Apple also recently revamped its online support forums in a push to allow customers to have an easier time self trouble-shooting online rather than over the phone with an AppleCare representative. The Cupertino company has also recently flipped the switch on enhancements to its online chat support service.
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Reblogged this on Taste of Apple and commented:
This is good news for customers and Apple’s wallet.
Technically, the AppleCare+ protection plan does not provide support or an additional 2 years, (that would make it a total of 3 years, which is not the case). Instead, it replaces the factory 1 year warrantee, (& 90 days of tech support) with a 2 year warrantee, (& 2 years of tech support & 2 accidental damage repairs/replacement within the 2 year time period.
Mark said, “AppleCare+ is the iPhone and iPad protection plan offering that provides support for an additional two years (on top of the free 90 days of support)”
But Apple says, “AppleCare+ for iPhone extends your coverage to two years from the original purchase.”
How did you not know this, Mark?
And, when Mark said, ” (on top of the free 90 days of support),” he was referring to the free 90 days of telephone support, along with the one year of in-store support that is included in the product’s original warranty.
I would just like to point out that half of the headline and a significant portion of the article is complete misinformation; the “standard AppleCare plan” for iPhones and iPads has not existed since 2011 when the Applecare+ plan replaced it. Because of this large piece of incorrect information, the majority of the analysis in the article about how the change will increase Apple’s revenue is totally false. The article should be about how Apple is simply giving customers more time to purchase the AppleCare+ protection plan.
James, I regret to inform you that you are completely and totally wrong.
The “standard AppleCare plan” still exists and can be purchased through Applecare over the phone within one year of your purchase date of a new Apple product. This option is often given to customers at the Apple store when they are ineligible for the AppleCare+ protection plan based on their purchase date.
While I believe that one has the right to and should express one’s disapproval of an article, it is important to make sure that you do a little research on that topic before you post. Otherwise, you risk making yourself look like an idiot. Wouldn’t that be terrible?
Actually you are both wrong.
regular standard Applecare not Applecare plus has existed since 2011. But since yesterday regular standard Applecare is no longer avail.
Jesse now who looks like a idiot? Don’t throw stones at glass houses my friend:)
Also re-blogged this at miApples .. great news. Thanks!
The article is correct.
To clarify.
Standard Applecare is gone. If you don’t have Applecare on your device and you bought it longer than 60 days you are out of luck.
Applecare has existed since 2011 in addition to Applecare plus. You had one year to add it to your device. That is no longer possible.
Mark is correct. Call Apple if you doubt this.
End of story.
Another Tim Cook mess… no AppleCare anymore.. and customers now have just a 60 days window to buy the AppleCare+
What if someone buys a used Apple device from someone else that has less than a 1 year but more than 60 days ?
You can’t get any extended warranty support on it anymore, not even the AppleCare one.
This is bad for Apple.