Apple limits AppleCare+ one-time payment options, prioritizes subscriptions

Apple has just made some changes to its AppleCare+ program. As hinted over the weekend by Mark Gurman, Apple is discontinuing upfront payment options for AppleCare+ in stores and on devices, offering monthly or annual subscriptions only unless you buy online.

AppleCare+ offers monthly and annual subscriptions only, unless you buy upfront with online purchase

Mark Gurman writes at Bloomberg:

the tech giant is changing how it sells AppleCare+ for iPhones, its protection program for the device. Now, users won’t be able to pay upfront for an AppleCare+ Theft and Loss plan at retail stores or via the AppleCare menu on the iPhone itself. Instead, they’ll need to pay monthly or annually.

A monthly AppleCare+ plan for an iPhone 16 Pro costs $13.99 per month, while the previously available two-year, upfront plan was $269. AppleCare agents have been instructed to tell customers that the change is designed to lower upfront costs and prevent future gaps in coverage. The company is also prioritizing the pricier Theft and Loss plans, which allow customers to replace a lost device by paying a deductible.

Starting today, AppleCare+ can primarily be purchased through recurring subscriptions with both monthly and annual options available.

The annual option does seem to provide a slight discount for buyers. For example, I’m able to buy AppleCare+ for my Vision Pro for either $24.99/month or $249/year.

If you’re interested in a one-time purchase option, you can still go that route but only in one circumstance: when making an online Apple Store purchase.

The multi-year upfront payment option is currently still available when buying a product from Apple’s website. You’ll need to choose that add-on during the configuration process.

But if you want to purchase AppleCare+ in a physical Apple Store, or on your own via your device’s Settings app, subscriptions are now the only option.

What do you think of this AppleCare+ subscription change? Let us know in the comments.

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