Apple Just Launched A New Device Coverage Plan. Here's How It Works (and If You Should Get It)

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Apple Care One
Apple

Apple conscionable launched a caller merchandise sum scheme called Apple Care One, offering consumers broad mishap sum connected up to 3 Apple devices for $20 a month. That includes iPhones, MacBooks, iPads, and Apple Watches and AirPods. 

The plan's benefits see unlimited repairs for damage, 24/7 unrecorded support from Apple experts, artillery replacement astatine nary other charge, and theft sum for nan iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. 

Also: Apple's iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 nationalist betas are releasing immoderate infinitesimal now: What to expect

The sum work launches astatine a clip erstwhile consumers are looking astatine their devices pinch longevity successful mind. Economic uncertainties mean not everyone is going to beryllium springing for nan latest iPhone twelvemonth aft year, and Apple knows this each excessively well. 

Apple MacBook Air M4 successful Sky Blue

Apple MacBook Air M4 (15-inch)

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

If you're wondering really this stacks up against existent Apple Care coverage, Apple Care One consolidates sum into 1 level rate, alternatively of associating them pinch individual products. The consequence is that consumers pinch aggregate devices could prevention money pinch nan azygous level interest – astir $10 connected mean – particularly if they're prone to accidents. 

There are immoderate caveats, of course. The astir important being that not each Apple instrumentality is eligible for coverage. In bid to beryllium added to nan plan, nan instrumentality must beryllium little than 4 years aged and successful "good condition." If that sounds a small vague, it is, but a bully norm of thumb present is to see whether aliases not nan instrumentality is successful bully capable information to beryllium resold. 

This intends that scratches, dents, and cracked screens could disqualify a instrumentality from being eligible for coverage. But if you're conscionable facing cosmetic damages, you could simply person it repaired, importantly improving its chances for coverage.  

A product's package and hardware tin beryllium checked done Apple's diagnostic tool, which will find a device's eligibility. During this process, you whitethorn besides request to supply photos of nan instrumentality to verify its condition. 

Also: How to clear your iPhone cache (and why it greatly improves nan performance)

The limit connected 4 twelvemonth aged products mightiness besides beryllium a reliable pill for immoderate consumers to swallow, since that draws nan statement astatine nan MacBook M2 arsenic nan oldest eligible laptop. For nan iPhone, nan 13 bid would beryllium nan earliest, pinch immoderate anterior models not capable to beryllium covered. 

Apple iOS 26 pinch Liquid Glass connected iPhone 16 Pro

Apple iOS 26 pinch Liquid Glass (from nan Developer Beta).

Jason Hiner/ZDNET

Notably, however, Apple doesn't attraction wherever you sewage nan instrumentality and whether aliases not it's new. That intends refurbished products from 3rd statement resellers for illustration Amazon are eligible for coverage, arsenic agelong arsenic they're little than 4 years aged and successful bully condition. 

Is it worthy it? 

It depends. Look astatine regular Apple Care coverage, which costs $10 a period for a azygous iPhone. If you're paying for 3 different Apple Care subscriptions for 3 phones ($30 a month), past yes, you'd prevention by going pinch nan Apple Care One plan. 

If you're conscionable paying for a azygous MacBook, however, that $3.49 monthly interest mightiness not warrant nan benefits of nan Apple Care One and other monthly fees (although that free artillery replacement is tempting). 

Also: Your iPhone is getting a awesome upgrade - 10 champion features I can't hold to effort successful iOS 26

It besides depends connected really difficult you usage your devices. If you're personification who is somewhat much mishap prone (hey, nary judgments) it mightiness beryllium worthy nan other sum for your iPhone, peculiarly if it's a newer exemplary you intend connected keeping for respective years. 

If you person older Apple devices, they aren't eligible for Apple Care One, and you'll person nary prime but to instrumentality pinch your existing Apple Care plan. 

How do you get it? 

Apple Care One plans will now beryllium offered to anyone purchasing a caller Apple merchandise astatine nan constituent of sale, but it's besides disposable online, aliases done nan settings app connected associated devices. Once you acquisition nan plan, you take nan devices you want to add, whether they're caller aliases aged (up to 4 years, aliases 1 twelvemonth for AirPods). You tin besides adhd aliases region eligible products from nan scheme astatine immoderate time. 

Whether you person 1 instrumentality aliases three, nan monthly interest remains astatine $20, truthful I would opportunity nan scheme useful champion for group who person 3 devices to cover. If you person more, you tin adhd much to nan scheme astatine $5.99 a pop, though that quickly inflates nan price. 

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