iPhone repairs made in the out-of-warranty period are expensive. The only way to avoid the hefty charges is to get an AppleCare+ plan, but you are eligible to buy it within 60 days from the date of purchase of your iPhone. It lapses after that. Apple may now be planning to give customers a second chance to opt for AppleCare+, but on a condition.

MacRumors has claimed to have seen an internal Apple memo that outlines the company’s plan where customers who have made nearly out-of-pocket expenses for their iPhone repair will get a chance to buy AppleCare+. Usually, customers of the iPhone get 60 days to buy an AppleCare+ plan and if you choose to opt out, Apple withdraws the availability of the service forever on that particular product.

However, going forward – or when Apple’s renewed AppleCare+ policy comes into effect, if you choose not to buy an AppleCare+ plan initially with your iPhone purchase, but reach out to Apple a few months later to get your iPhone repaired, Apple will advise you to get an AppleCare+ plan and avoid hefty charges. This is applicable only when you have paid the out-of-warranty charges for the repair first and when the iPhone is less than a year old, which means the warranty of the phone may still be valid.

Why buy AppleCare+ if the iPhone is in warranty, you might ask? That is because the out-of-the-box warranty on the iPhone, like every other smartphone – or rather electronic item, does not cover physical damage. And I am talking about the serious ones, such as screen cracks or glass cracks. So, when you break the screen of your iPhone, the warranty becomes void. The cost of out-of-warranty repair for an iPhone 13 Pro Max for screen replacement at an Apple Authorised Service Provider is $329, while all other repairs set you back by $599 in the US. With AppleCare+, the costs drop to $29 and $99, respectively. In India, these costs are Rs 2,500 and Rs 8,900, respectively.

The AppleCare+ protection programme by Apple is a service that brings down repair costs for your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, and other Apple products. Getting a new screen for your iPhone may cost you thousands of rupees, sometimes to the tune of around half the cost of the iPhone. So, when you use AppleCare+, you can avoid those hefty charges. The AppleCare+ plan is not as expensive as what Apple charges you for iPhone repairs, so getting the protection alongside the new iPhone makes sense.

However, some customers skip buying AppleCare+ because of additional costs incurred in their bill. There are other reasons, too. Apple normally gives customers a window of 60 days to think again and buy an AppleCare+ plan. But if they do not, Apple will revoke the AppleCare+ privileges from your iPhone forever. This means that any physical damage to the iPhone will attract big repair costs. Although malfunctioning and manufacturing defects will be covered in the warranty, that stays for one year. After the warranty period is over, you will have to pay all the charges to get your iPhone serviced.

Apple is now reportedly going to give such customers a second chance only if they have already paid full out-of-warranty fees for any repairs for their iPhone and only if the iPhone is not older than a year. Customers may be able to buy AppleCare+ from the Apple website or the service centre by paying the plan’s full price. Mind you, the benefits of the AppleCare+ plan will kick in only from your next repair until the plan period is over.

The document suggests the new AppleCare+ plan may be available in all countries where the service is available, which includes India. Apple is yet to officially announce the AppleCare+ extension policy.

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