Apple introduces new $29 screen repair tier to AppleCare+, raises fee for other repairs to $99

Buried inside all of Apple’s announcements today were some notable changes to the company’s AppleCare+ repair program. While Apple has long charged $99 for repairs of current-gen devices and $79 for previous-gen repairs, the company today announced that there is now a flat $99 charge for all incidental repairs under AppleCare+. For one of the most common repairs, however, there’s a nice pricing improvement…

Perhaps most notably, however, there’s a new fee that applies exclusively to screen repairs for AppleCare+ customers. Instead of having to pay the full $99 amount, users looking for screen repairs will have to pay a more reasonable $29 fee.

For Apple, the new $99 flat rate for all devices was likely necessary to offset the $29 screen repair offering. For users, however, the $29 screen repair fee will likely be seen as an improvement as cracked screens are one of the most common repairs made via AppleCare+ plans.

Here’s how Apple describes the AppleCare+ program changes on its website:

Every iPhone comes with one year of hardware repair coverage through its limited warranty and up to 90 days of complimentary support. AppleCare+ for iPhone extends your coverage to two years from the original purchase date of your iPhone and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $29 for screen damage, or $99 for any other damage, plus applicable tax.2 In addition, you’ll get 24/7 priority access to Apple experts via chat or phone through getsupport.apple.com.

With today’s changes, the overall idea of AppleCare+ remains the same. For the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, AppleCare+ is priced at $129. For that one-time charge, users get two incidents of accidental damage coverage. Screen repairs will run $29 under the new pricing structure and all other repairs will run $99, no matter what device it is.

You can catch up on everything Apple announced on stage at its press event today in our live news hub and be sure to check back as we continue to dissect everything that’s new.