AirPods Max AppleCare+ costs $59, battery replacement $79, ear cushions $69

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in General Discussion edited December 2020
Apple has revealed the servicing costs of the AirPods Max, with buyers of the new personal audio accessories expected to shell out $59 if they want cover with AppleCare+.




Buyers of the new AirPods Max have the option to purchase AppleCare cover for the premium headphones, in case they are damaged or broken during usage. Apple is currently charging $59 for AppleCare+ for the headphones, which is a little over a tenth of the $549 cost of the AirPods Max.

The $59 fee is relatively high compared to the $29 charge associated with AppleCare+ for the AirPods and AirPods Pro, but the cost for the AirPods Max is still roughly proportionate to its stablemates.

Under AppleCare+, customers get the usual two-year of coverage and support, rather than the standard limited warranty and 90 days of support. Customers can also claim up to two incidents of accidental damage protection in a 12-month period, which will incur a service charge of $29 plus tax in each instance.

In the event the battery fails in the unit, Apple has priced the battery replacement at $79 for non-AppleCare+ customers. For consumers who expect to heavily tax the battery, it may be worth paying for AppleCare+ from the outset if they anticipate needing a new battery down the line.

The ear cushions on the AirPods Max are attached to the headphones magnetically. Apple will also sell ear cushions independently of the AirPods Max soon at a price of $69 per set. Colors available the same as the headset, but a user can pick a different color than the headset's core color.

Updated 12:09 PM Eastern Time with the magnetic ear cushion replacement options
dewme

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 4
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,323member
    Though I'm not thrilled about the price of the unit and the cost of the add-ons, I do think that replacement ear cushions held on magnetically is a genius idea and I'm surprised that this is the first headphones (that I'm aware of) that have that feature.

    I'll wait for reviews before considering the AirPod Max. These are not the first $500-ish headphones, there are quite a number out there (and more that cost a great deal more than $500), but they usually command that price for great (balanced) sound, not fashion. Till I see more justification for the price, this is a product I'm putting into Apple's "for rich people mainly" type product lines, like the XDR Display with stand, the original gold Apple Watch, etc.
  • Reply 2 of 4
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    chasm said:
    Though I'm not thrilled about the price of the unit and the cost of the add-ons, I do think that replacement ear cushions held on magnetically is a genius idea and I'm surprised that this is the first headphones (that I'm aware of) that have that feature.
    Bowers and Wilkins have had this for ages. 

     (5 year old review, check 1:40 for the magnetics)
    edited December 2020
  • Reply 3 of 4
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,947member
    chasm said:
    Though I'm not thrilled about the price of the unit and the cost of the add-ons, I do think that replacement ear cushions held on magnetically is a genius idea and I'm surprised that this is the first headphones (that I'm aware of) that have that feature.

    I'll wait for reviews before considering the AirPod Max. These are not the first $500-ish headphones, there are quite a number out there (and more that cost a great deal more than $500), but they usually command that price for great (balanced) sound, not fashion. Till I see more justification for the price, this is a product I'm putting into Apple's "for rich people mainly" type product lines, like the XDR Display with stand, the original gold Apple Watch, etc.
    My thoughts as well. I’m very happy to see that both the pads and the batteries can be replaced. $79 is a bit steep for the battery, but at least it can be replaced. I’m waiting for ifixit’s tear down to see how easy/difficult it is. There’s no reason it shouldn’t be relatively easy with the size of them. 
  • Reply 4 of 4
    MacQuadra840avMacQuadra840av Posts: 207member
    chasm said:
    Though I'm not thrilled about the price of the unit and the cost of the add-ons, I do think that replacement ear cushions held on magnetically is a genius idea and I'm surprised that this is the first headphones (that I'm aware of) that have that feature.
    Most other headphones have a material, such as leather, that can easily be cleaned yourself without having to buy new ones when the cloth gets all 'gamey'.
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