Apple fans, rejoice! You can now get AppleCare+ for your iPhone even if it's been a year since you bought it.
Purchasing an iPhone is not cheap, and many buyers prefer to protect their investment by getting an extended warranty as well, just in case something goes wrong with the smartphone. That extended warranty option is called AppleCare+ and is offered on top of the initial iPhone warranty.
Apple iPhone Protection Options
Each new iPhone comes with a limited warranty, which includes one year of hardware repairs and up to 90 days of complimentary support. The extended AppleCare+ for iPhone, meanwhile, extends the warranty repair coverage to two years and includes up to two accidental damage incidents. At the same time, AppleCare+ protection also ensures priority access 24/7 whenever iPhone owners need assistance from Apple experts via phone or chat.
AppleCare+ iPhone Protection Extended
The window to purchase AppleCare+ protection for an iPhone had been capped at 60 days after buying the handset. This means that users have two months after buying an iPhone to decide if they want the extra AppleCare+ protection. Once those two months had passed, AppleCare+ was no longer an option.
However, Apple has now tweaked its iPhone protection program and extended the AppleCare+ window to one year. In other words, Apple fans can now get AppleCare+ just as their initial limited warranty approaches its expiration date.
The extended iPhone warranty plan costs $99.99 for the iPhone SE, and $129 for the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, and iPhone 7 Plus. Here's everything that's included with AppleCare+ for iPhone:
• Non-stop priority access to Apple experts - 24/7 via phone or chat
• Mail-in repair - use an Apple prepaid shipping box to mail in your iPhone for repairs
• Carry-in repair - Bring your iPhone to an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider for repairs
• Express Replacement Service
Under the AppleCare+ plan, the deductible service fees are $29 for screen repair and $99 for other issues. Support from Apple experts covers troubleshooting software such as iCloud and iOS, as well as native apps such as FaceTime, Calendar, or Mail.
The time of the iPhone purchase is not the only condition for AppleCare+ eligibility, however. Before purchasing the extended warranty plan, the iPhone will either need to be inspected at an Apple Store or be subjected to a remote diagnostics testing.
This extended AppleCare+ for iPhone now matches the Mac AppleCare window, but it doesn't seem to offer the same courtesy to the iPad or Apple Watch. Apple-centric website 9to5 Mac notes that this change seems to apply only to iPhones, at least at this point.
Nevertheless, this is still great news for Apple fans and should go a long way toward Apple's ambitions to boost its services revenue. The option should also serve as an additional incentive for prospective customers who are still trying to decide whether to get an iPhone or not.
Lastly, it's worth pointing out that this extended window to get AppleCare+ for iPhone seems to be available only in the United States for now, but other countries could get it soon as well. Apple has yet to update its website to reflect the change, but the extended window is in effect.
