Apple is preparing a small price increase for AppleCare Plus on Macs and iPads, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. The reported change would apply to new sign-ups, while people already paying for the service would keep their current pricing.
Gurman reported that monthly AppleCare Plus subscriptions for Macs and iPads will rise by $0.50, with annual plans increasing by $5. For one concrete example, he said coverage for a new 13-inch MacBook Air would move to $7.99 a month from $7.49, or to $79.99 a year from $74.99.
The mechanism is straightforward: Apple would be charging more at enrollment, rather than repricing existing subscriptions. That distinction matters for buyers choosing coverage on a new Mac or iPad, because the higher rate would appear at the point of purchase or sign-up. Existing AppleCare Plus subscribers, according to Gurman, would not see the increase on their current plans.
The reported Mac and iPad move follows a similar AppleCare Plus price increase for iPhones last year. Bloomberg’s report did not say that every AppleCare Plus tier would rise by the same dollar amount beyond the stated monthly and annual increases for Macs and iPads.
Apple had not reflected the new US pricing on its website or in its US AppleCare Plus terms of service when The Verge checked, and the company had not responded to The Verge’s request for comment. That leaves the increase in reported-but-not-publicly-posted territory for now, which is where Apple pricing changes often sit briefly before the website catches up.
The numbers are not dramatic in isolation. A 50-cent monthly increase adds up to $6 over a year, while the reported annual plan increase is $5. The point for customers is less the size of this particular bump than the pattern: Apple has already raised AppleCare Plus pricing on iPhones, and Bloomberg says Macs and iPads are next.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.
