The problem with purchasing extended warranty is that it can be an expensive addition, especially for something that you’re purchasing as a just-in-case kind of thing. AppleCare+ is no exception to that rule, but Apple has instituted a new change that might make it more affordable upfront.
As noted by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter, it seems that Apple has recently introduced a new option for how customers can pay for AppleCare+. Instead of the current method that is a one-time purchase that’s good for 3 years, the new method lets you “subscribe” to the AppleCare+ plan.
So how much does this cost? It will depend on your Mac, but Gurman gave an example with the MacBook Pro where the normal cost of AppleCare+ is $380, however if you wish to go the subscription route, it will cost $140 a year. Ultimately this adds up to $420 which is $40 more than what the normal plan would have cost, netting Apple more money for offering the exact same thing.
However, like we said, this is a good option if you cannot or don’t want to pay $380 upfront. At the very least it will give customers options and then they can choose for themselves. It might even encourage some customers to purchase the plan where they might not have before.
Filed in . Read more about iMac, Macbook Air and Macbook Pro. Source: imore