Apple recently announced its device protection program is getting another tier in Australia, with the local launch of AppleCare One. Aimed at covering multiple devices under the one subscription, is it worth the money?
Distinct from the newly launched Apple Upgrade program in the US, AppleCare One is a new layer to the company’s AppleCare+ device protection subscription service. Launching in Australia on 4 August, the service includes coverage for up to three Apple devices for $29.99 per month.
Sharing the same ‘One’ branding as the Apple One software bundle, the new service includes the same cover as AppleCare+, albeit for multiple devices. Subscribers can access same-day repairs, replacement devices at a lower cost than without a subscription. Battery replacements, if the capacity is below 80 per cent, are free.
Notably, with AppleCare One’s Australian launch, Apple also confirmed that iPads and Apple Watches will be covered for theft or loss under an individual AppleCare+ subscription if the owner chooses the higher-priced tier. Previously, Australians could only access theft and loss cover for iPhones. Other Apple devices, like Macs and AirPods, aren’t covered for theft and loss.
AppleCare+ versus AppleCare One
Individually, covering an iPhone with AppleCare+ starts at $14.49 per month, inclusive of theft and loss protection. An iPad starts at $8.99 per month, while an Apple Watch costs at least $5.99 per month. All up, that’s a monthly cost of $29.47, slightly less than Apple’s new plan.
That’s the starting price of AppleCare+, however. Full cover for an iPhone 17 Pro costs $20.49 per month, for example. You can save a bit of money by forgoing the theft and loss cover, though, which brings the iPhone 17 Pro coverage down to $15.99, while a base iPhone 17 costs $11.49 to cover.
As you’d expect, the more recent and more premium the device, the higher the cost. Without the theft coverage, AppleCare+ costs $6.49 per month for an iPad A16 model, while the monthly cost for a 13-inch iPad Pro M4 increases to $14.99.
You can see how much the repairs and device replacement plans cost for each device via Apple’s website, which lists the price of various models.
Another important disclaimer is that service fees apply to any repairs and replacement claims. They’re cheaper with an AppleCare subscription than without, but there’s still a cost involved.
As an example, here’s how much each service costs for an iPhone that’s also covered by theft and loss protection:
- $45 for screen or back glass damage
- $149 for other accidental damage
- $229 for theft or loss
Without coverage, the cost increases and varies per model. Based on Apple’s support site, the current iPhone 17 repair costs (without AppleCare) are as follows:
- Battery service: $169
- Back glass damage: $269
- Rear camera damage: $275
- Screen damage: $549
- Screen and back glass damage: $699
- Other damage: $1,029
Is Apple’s new bundle worth the cost?
As for whether AppleCare One is worth the price, it depends on which devices you have. For Apple’s lower-end iPhones, iPads, and Watches, separate AppleCare+ subscriptions might be more cost-effective.
But if you have the latest and greatest devices, the value of a bundled subscription is more obvious. To use the most extreme example, AppleCare+ with theft and loss coverage for an iPhone 17 Pro Max costs $20.49 per month. Adding $14.99 monthly coverage for a 13-inch iPad Pro M4 already brings the combined cost to $35.48. To go one step further and include a 16-inch MacBook Pro (roughly $20.83 per month), the monthly coverage for all three devices works out to be $56.31.
Apple also offers additional devices beyond AppleCare One’s three-device limit for $8.99 per month for each additional device.
Any device protection program hinges entirely on your needs, though. If you don’t encounter cracked screens or lost devices, and keep liquids well away from your tech, save the money and put it towards something else.
But for accident-prone folks who routinely visit the phone repair shop, there might be merit in a bundled protection plan.
The post AppleCare One is coming to Australia, but is it worth it? appeared first on GadgetGuy.
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