I should have done this sooner, but I finally sat down and took a look at AppleCare One.
If you recall, back in July, Apple announced a new service bundle, AppleCare One. It provides AppleCare+, Apple's extended protection service, and also includes theft and loss for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, for up to three products under one subscription plan. The plan is $19.99 per month with an option to add additional devices for $5.99 per month per device.
I wrote about it in the newsletter when the announcement was made. And then I forgot about it.
That turned out to be a costly mistake.
Whether or not AppleCare One makes sense for you really depends on the Apple products you have.
If you have an iPhone and an Apple Watch, it should cost less to stay on your existing AppleCare plans (if you have them).
But if you're like me and have a combination that includes a MacBook, iPad, and iPhone, things get more interesting.
And if you have a Vision Pro, it's almost a no-brainer.
Let's take a look at my previous AppleCare monthly expenses for the devices' individual plans and compare them against AppleCare One:
| Item | Individual AppleCare (Monthly) | AppleCare One (Monthly) |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 16 Pro Max | $10.26 | $19.99 |
| 13” iPad Pro M2 | $7.69 | $0 (incl.) |
| 16” MacBook Pro M1 Pro | $12.50 | $0 (incl.) |
| Vision Pro | $24.99 | $5.99 |
| Monthly Total | $55.44 | $25.98 |
| Monthly Excluding Vision Pro | $30.45 | $19.99 |
I'm saving $228 a year just by adding the Vision Pro to my AppleCare One plan! AppleCare for Vision Pro is $24.99 per month, but it drops to just $5.99 per month with AppleCare One. That's an incredible value!
Okay, I hear you, most people don't have a Vision Pro, but even when we exclude it, the savings are still over $10/month or $120 per year. That's a significant amount!
Not every device belongs in the plan.
My Studio Display, Mac mini, Apple Watch Ultra, and AirPods Pro all cost less individually than the $5.99 per-device add-on. For those, sticking with the original coverage just makes sense.
If you've got an eligible device either still under AppleCare+ coverage or purchased within the last 60 days, you can activate AppleCare One directly from Settings > General > AppleCare & Warranty.
After you've added your first device, you can add others right there on that same device. Tap "Add, Remove, or Manage Devices" and select the next item from your list of devices.
You can even add older devices in good condition (up to 4 years old for most Apple gear, or 1 year for headphones). Apple might run a quick diagnostic before approving it.
AppleCare One isn't for everyone, but it's absolutely worth a look.
If you've got 2-3 (or more) top-end Apple devices, especially if one of them is Vision Pro or a MacBook, the math quickly tilts in your favor.
Find out more here: https://www.apple.com/applecare/