After all of the hype, the anticipation, and the waiting, pre-orders and demonstrations of the Apple Watch are only a week away. Next Friday — April 10, 2015 — you’ll be able to order your Apple Watch online or get a demo of the device at your local Apple Store. If you do order one for delivery on April 24, one of the options you’ll have at purchase time is whether ot not to buy AppleCare+. MacRumors today published documents claiming to show just how much it will cost to protect your Watch from technical issues and accidental damage.
It’s not surprising that the pricing of AppleCare+ will depend on which model of the Apple Watch you decide to buy. For those who pick up the entry-level aluminum Apple Watch Sport, the cost is expected to be $59. AppleCare+ will cost $79 for the stainless steel Apple Watch, and if you go for one of the gold Apple Watch Edition models, expect to shell out $999 for coverage.
What will the AppleCare+ program provide you with in terms of coverage? For the Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch, the warranty coverage is expected to extend to a full two years. With the pricy Apple Watch Edition, that warranty will cover your device for three years. In each case, the Watch will be covered for accidental damage — not a bad idea considering that wristwatches are exposed to a lot of potential bumps and scratches. If the warranty is anything like that for the iPhone, another charge will be levied when you bring in a damaged Watch for repair.
You’ll be able to purchase AppleCare+ at the time you make your order online or purchase a Watch in an Apple Store. It’s also expected that Watch fans will be able to buy coverage up to 60 days after purchase, similar to what’s available for the iPhone.
In case you’re wondering when you’ll actually be able to order an Apple Watch online, Apple made it official today — orders will begin at 12:01 AM PT (3:01 AM ET) on April 10. Expect the online Apple Store to shut down at about 9 PM PT on April 9 in anticipation of the onslaught of orders.
