The Apple Watch is now available for pre-orders, and with it Apple has revealed a few more details about the cost of its AppleCare+ service for the wearables — ranging from $49 for the cheapest option all the way up to $1,500.
Find out what you need to know below.
Even without AppleCare+ every Apple Watch comes with one year of hardware repair coverage through its limited warranty, and up to 90 days of complimentary support. However, AppleCare+ extends this coverage to two years (three for the Edition) from the original purchase date of your Watch, while also adding up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage.
AppleCare+ will set you back $49 for the basic Apple Watch Sport, $69 for the Apple Watch, and $1,500 for the Edition. On top of this is an additional service charge for cases of accidental damage, amounting to $69 for the Sport, $79 for the Watch and $1,000 (!) for the Edition.
Since the Apple Watch requires an iPhone to carry out nearly all functions, Apple additionally offers the ability to get a paired AppleCare+ combo plan for both devices, which costs $149, $169 and $1,600 depending on your Apple Watch model.
AppleCare+ can be purchased within 60 days of buying your new device, although you’ll have to do this either at an Apple Store, where they can inspect the Watch and see your proof of purchase, or else by calling Apple’s dedicated phone helpline and letting them run a remote diagnostic.
More details can be found here.
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
