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AppleCare is a service and support plan offered by Apple Inc. that extends the standard Apple warranty and phone support for its products to two years for iPods, iPads, and iPhones or three years for Macs.

AppleCare Protection Plan[link]

The AppleCare Protection Plan is sold by Apple and its authorized resellers. It is available for every major piece of Apple hardware, including iPods, iPhones, iPads, MacBooks and iMacs.^[1] AppleCare can be purchased at the same time as the hardware, or separately after the original hardware purchase as long as the original Apple hardware warranty is active.

If the product requiring service can be taken to a retail Apple Store, the product can typically be repaired on-site with a reduced turnaround time. Otherwise, it may be shipped to an Apple repair center for service. Products that cannot be repaired are replaced with new or refurbished product with identical or superior hardware specifications.

AppleCare for iPod, MacBooks and iMacs does not cover accidental damage, such as drops, spills, or liquid immersion. AppleCare+ for iPhone, iPad covers accidental handling damage for a $49 service fee at up to two incidents per account holder . No plans cover theft.

In most of Europe the law imposes a mimimum 2 year warranty which overlaps the benefits of AppleCare. In Italy, Apple has been fined for not informing customers of this law. ^[2]

AppleCare Extended Service[link]

In Latin America and other countries where there are no Apple offices, the "AppleCare Extended Service" product is instead available, which offers the same services less the phone support.

Competition[link]

There are known to be several third party warranty and insurance providers that also cover Apple products. Some include accident and theft coverage as well. Some major retailers that sell Apple products sell their own extended service plans as well. Examples of third-party companies that provide service plans include AuralSolve, SquareTrade and Consumer Priority Service.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Apple - Support
• Apple - AppleCare products and services

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