AppleCare+ Launched 15 Years Ago Today

AppleCare+ became available for the first time 15 years ago today, on October 14, 2011, alongside the iPhone 4S, following its announcement ten days earlier. The previous $69 AppleCare Protection Plan in the United States extended hardware repair coverage and technical support to two years, but excluded accidental damage. ‌AppleCare‌+ cost $99, retaining that two-year term while adding coverage for two accidental damage incidents, each with a $49 service fee. It covered damage from drops and liquid contact, but excluded theft and loss. Popular StoriesAppleCare One Family Launches at $49.99 Per MonthMonday September 14, 2026 1:05 pm PDT by Juli CloveriPhone, iPad, and Mac users in the United States can now sign up for AppleCare One Family, a new AppleCare plan that covers the Apple products of up to six people. AppleCare One Family offers the same benefits as AppleCare+, including protection from accidental damage as well as theft and loss protection for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. The same service fees and deductibles apply, and up...Apple Reportedly Planned to Replace 5,000 Support Employees With AITuesday September 29, 2026 9:11 am PDT by Joe RossignolApple recently considered laying off about 5,000 support employees, but it has put those plans on hold indefinitely, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The report said that Apple believed that AI-powered phone and web agents could take over some of the responsibilities performed by the employees who would have been let go, but Apple is no longer "currently looking to take such a step." ...Apple's HomeView Repair Fees RevealedTuesday October 13, 2026 5:44 pm PDT by Joe RossignolIf you damage Apple's new HomeView smart home hub, here is what the repair fees are set at: $39 with AppleCare+ coverage and $279 without. These fees apply to any type of damage to either the tabletop or wall-mounted HomeView models. In the U.S., AppleCare+ coverage for the HomeView is priced at $2.49 per month or $24.99 per year until canceled, or you can opt to add the device to the...