Apple is increasing the price of its AppleCare Plus service plans for new Mac and iPad customers by $0.50 per month or $5 annually. The change follows previous price hikes on AppleCare for iPhones and coincides with recent hardware cost increases across Apple's product lineup.
- New AppleCare Plus plans for Macs and iPads cost $0.50 more monthly or $5 more per year
- Existing AppleCare Plus subscribers keep their current rates
- Price hikes parallel recent expensive hardware component shortages
What happened
Apple is raising the cost of its AppleCare Plus protection plans for Macs and iPads for new customers. The price adjustment increases monthly fees by 50 cents or $5 annually. For example, coverage for a new 13-inch MacBook Air now costs $7.99 monthly or $79.99 yearly, up from $7.49 and $74.99, respectively. Existing subscribers will retain their current pricing and are not affected by the change.
This update has yet to be officially reflected on Apple's website or detailed in their terms of service. Apple has not publicly commented on the pricing tweaks. The move comes shortly after Apple announced price increases for several hardware products including iPads, Macs, and the Vision Pro headset, citing a global shortage of RAM chips as a key factor.
Why it matters
The AppleCare Plus price increase illustrates the broader impact of rising supply chain and component costs on both hardware and service offerings. AppleCare Plus is an optional extended warranty that provides additional coverage beyond standard product warranties, and subtle price adjustments can affect consumer purchase decisions for device protection.
Apple's efforts to shield customers from price inflation are challenged by ongoing shortages in essential components like RAM, which has forced the company to raise retail prices on their devices and now on related services. Service price hikes may help Apple offset higher production costs without directly altering device pricing yet, keeping the ecosystem’s overall profitability intact.
What to watch next
Keep an eye on whether Apple extends similar AppleCare Plus price increases to other devices, especially iPhones, as the iPhone 18 Pro launch later this year may trigger new pricing strategies. The company has not yet increased AppleCare prices for iPhones, but recent device price adjustments suggest this could happen.
Additionally, monitor for any official updates on the Apple website or changes to terms of service clarifying the scope and rollout of these pricing modifications. Consumer reaction and uptake of AppleCare Plus under these new prices will indicate how sensitive buyers are to service cost increases amid an environment of rising electronics prices.