by When you buy an Apple hardware product such as a Mac or an iPad, you get a one-year hardware warranty and 90 days of free phone-based tech support, starting from the date of purchase. If something goes wrong—other than, say, you dropping your MacBook Air in a bucket of soapy water—Apple generally picks up the tab for repairing or replacing your hardware (at its discretion).
As most of us know, however, things tend to go south with hardware sometime after the included warranty expires. Often, it seems to happen the very next day. Let’s call it Klutzy’s Law. To ensure that your spiffy purchase continues to work without requiring you to pay for repairs and support as the need arises, Apple offers AppleCare Protection Plans as add-on purchases. But what do they give you? How much do they cost? And most importantly, are they worth it? Read on for answers to these questions and more. (Note: Pricing and rules apply to AppleCare in the U.S.—for other countries check Apple’s website.)
Things tend to go south with hardware sometime after the included warranty expires. Often, it seems to happen the very next day. Let’s call it Klutzy’s Law.
How AppleCare works
AppleCare (or AppleCare+ for iPhones and iPads) is an insurance policy for your devices. You pay an up-front cost to cover any potential problems. But more precisely, AppleCare plans extend the length of your hardware coverage for both repairs and support. Apple offers four separate plans—for Macs and Apple displays, iPhones, iPads, and iPods and Apple TVs.
How long it extends support: For Macs and displays, AppleCare gets you a total of three years’ support—in other words, it extends phone support by 33 months and the limited warranty by two years (for a total of three years). For all other products—iPods, iPads, iPhones, and Apple TVs—AppleCare gives you a total of two years of support.
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