AppleCare One: Apple bundles hardware insurance in one subscription
A new Apple supplementary insurance is aimed at customers who own several products at the same time. However, it is not intended for family devices.
(Image: Sebastian Trepesch / heise medien)
Apple is expanding its range of subscriptions: AppleCare+ supplementary insurance is available from Thursday as a bundle for a monthly price starting at 20 US dollars. "AppleCare One" covers three Apple devices, and additional devices can be added for an additional 6 US dollars per month, as the company announced. For the time being, the company is only offering AppleCare One in the USA; details of a possible launch in other countries such as Germany were not given.
Insurance against damage and device loss
AppleCare One includes the usual services of AppleCare+, which Apple continues to sell for individual devices. The insurance also covers self-inflicted damage, which subscribers can have repaired for a fee, such as a broken iPhone display, for which Apple then charges just under 30 US dollars.
The insured customer should also receive a replacement in the event of theft or loss, which costs just under 150 US dollars in each case. However, only iPhones and, for the first time, iPads and Apple Watches are covered here, but not a MacBook Pro, which is also insured. Apple also advertises faster support and express replacement of iPhones in the event of damage as additional services.
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The insurance only covers devices that are up to four years old and in "good condition", as the company notes. This may need to be checked under certain circumstances. Unlike most other Apple subscriptions, which can be shared as part of Family Sharing, AppleCare One only applies to devices linked to an Apple account.
Apple focuses on services
The services business is now Apple's second largest pillar behind the huge iPhone business and is experiencing significant growth. However, the division covers very different areas, from content bundles such as Apple One to commissions on app sales and a billion-dollar search deal with Google.
(lbe)
