Anyone planning to spend upwards of $10,000 on an Apple Watch Edition should be prepared to spend quite a bit more for extended service and warranty coverage.
Apple will charge $999 for an AppleCare+ plan that extends the Edition’s exclusive support perks from two years to three years, 9to5Mac reports.
Edition buyers who forgo AppleCare+ will still get a special setup hotline and two years of round-the-clock phone support. They’ll also be covered for two accidental damage incidents in those first two years, minus any service fees and taxes. The $999 AppleCare+ plan extends those benefits for a third year.
Apple’s Watch Sport and mid-range Watch, which start at $349 and $549 respectively, have their own AppleCare+ plans, offering two years of phone support and coverage for two accidental damage incidents. Apple Watch Sport coverage will cost $59, while Apple Watch coverage will cost $79, 9to5Mac reports. Without an AppleCare+ plan, buyers will still get 90 days of phone support and a one-year limited hardware warranty, which presumably doesn’t cover accidents.
Apple will start taking pre-orders for the Watch on April 10, and will also start taking appointments for in-store demos. The Apple Watch Edition will only be on display in select stores, which will accommodate buyers with private, hour-long appointments.
Why this matters: Mainly, this illustrates the extent to which Apple is trying to create exclusive perks for Apple Watch Edition buyers, no matter what the cost. Chances are some buyers won’t even flinch at the pricing, though the odds of dropping a smartwatch or scratching the Edition’s sapphire crystal display are probably pretty low.
Author: Jared Newman
Jared Newman has been helping folks make sense of technology for over a decade, writing for PCWorld, TechHive, and elsewhere. He also publishes two newsletters, Advisorator for straightforward tech advice and Cord Cutter Weekly for saving money on TV service.