Apple to drop prepaid multi-year AppleCare+; move to subscription-only model

Apple products will still include one year of AppleCare with purchase, but the company is reportedly planning to shift its extended AppleCare+ plan to a subscription-only format, according to a post on X from Bloomberg News‘ Mark Gurman:

A notable change coming to AppleCare+ next week: Apple is dropping the 2-3 year pay in advance option at physical retail stores and on devices and will only offer monthly and annual subscriptions. You’ll still be able to get those multi-year plans on the online store.
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) February 2, 2025

Charles Martin for AppleInsider:
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The included AppleCare warranty only covers defects found in the product, along with 90 days of free telephone support. AppleCare+ extended warranties cover accidental damage for most hardware products, apart from the Apple TV, and include two years of free telephone support.
Buyers could previously add AppleCare+ at the point of purchase, or online through Apple within 60 days of purchase. Starting in the second week of February, prepaid options will be dropped at all retail outlets, but will continue to be offered from Apple’s online store.
The retail AppleCare+ plans had a longer lifespan than the one-year AppleCare warranty, but could be purchased in advance for a maximum of two or three years, depending on the device purchased. Apple introduced the indefinite-length AppleCare+ subscription option in 2021.

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MacDailyNews Take: Services, especially those centered on recurring subscriptions, can paper over much of Apple’s ongoing lack of innovation during the long slog of the Tim Cook era.

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