$99 AppleCare+ for iPad Coming Alongside iPad 3?

With the launch of the iPhone 4S last October, Apple debuted AppleCare+ for iPhone, a new $99 extended warranty program that includes coverage for accidental damage to the user's device over the two-year coverage period.

Valid for up to two incidents of accidental damage with a $49 deductible per incident, the expanded AppleCare+ offering replaced Apple's previous standard $69 AppleCare for iPhone that did not cover accidental damage.

MacRumors has now received word that Apple appears to be making a similar transition for the iPad with tomorrow's introduction of the iPad 3, rolling out a $99 AppleCare+ for iPad warranty that would replace the current $79 standard AppleCare package. While our source was unable to provide any specific details on coverage for the new AppleCare+ for iPad program, it would presumably mirror that of the corresponding iPhone plan with accidental damage coverage being included with a deductible.

Accidental damage has been a more common issue on the iPhone since the introduction of the iPhone 4 in 2010, due in part to the use of glass on both front and back of that device and its successor, the iPhone 4S. iPhones requiring replacement due to accidental damage had typically required a $199 replacement fee, although support staff generally had a fair amount of leeway in waiving that fee on a case-by-case basis. Apple has reportedly tightened up on that flexibility since the introduction of AppleCare+ for iPhone, now that accidental damage coverage is available through the plan.

While accidental damage may be a bit less of an issue for the iPad than for the iPhone given its proportionally lower glass surface area and perhaps fewer opportunities for damage in not being carried about as widely, some users will undoubtedly be pleased by the new AppleCare+ for iPad. The option of purchasing an extended warranty offering accidental damage coverage to limit significant repair or replacement bills should an incident occur is likely to be an appealing proposition for a number of customers.