In today's Apple Daily, allegedly "leaked" screenshots may show some of the pricing details for AppleCare+ for the Apple Watch. In other news, Samsung's new smartphone gets subjected to the same pressures we saw during last year's "Bendgate," and it ain't pretty.
'Leaked' Screenshots Purport to Show AppleCare+ Pricing for Apple Watch
Apple still hasn't officially said how much AppleCare+ will cost for the upcoming Apple Watch, but supposedly internal screenshots obtained by MacRumors may tell us what we can expect ahead of time. Digital imagery being what it is, there's zero proof these things are genuine, but the pricing seems realistic enough to peg them as the real things. 9to5Mac later led credence to it with a post of its own.
According to the screenshots, buying AppleCare+ for the Apple Watch Sport will cost you $59. If you have the slightly fancier stainless steel Apple Watch (with a sport band), you'll have to pay $79. And if you buy one of those mega-expensive gold Apple Watch Editions? Expect to fork out a full $999 for AppleCare+.
The sport band distinction above for the stainless steel Apple Watch is important, as it's currently not clear without official confirmation from Apple if the bands have any effect on the cost of AppleCare+. We'll likely learn the truth on April 10, when pre-orders and hands-on previews start at Apple Stores throughout the world.
While Apple has been silent about the cost of AppleCare+ for the Apple Watch, it did take the opportunity to announce when pre-orders for the highly anticipated wearable will go live on April 10. Specifically, you can order your own starting at 12:01 a.m. PST or 3:01 a.m. EST.
'Bendgate' Returns, But This Time the iPhone Looks Good
On a lighter note, warranty firm SquareTrade resurrected last year's "Bendgate" controversy surrounding the iPhone 6 Plus and the iPhone 6 with a new video, but this time the joke's on Samsung in particular, who last year made ads (via AppleInsider) ridiculing the supposed bendiness of Apple's new phone.
The firm performed similar bend tests on Samsung's Galaxy S6 Edge and the HTC One and found that Samsung's phone bent under 110 pounds of pressure, and the HTC One bent — and broke completely — under 120 pounds of pressure. The Galaxy's bending limits are similar to the iPhone 6's, but with a key difference — under the same duress, the device's screen shattered.
But pushed to "catastrophic failure," the iPhone 6 Plus actually comes out ahead. In these extreme circumstances, the iPhone 6 Plus endured 179 pounds of pressure, while the Galaxy crumpled at 149 pounds.
"For Samsung fans, this may be worse [than 'Bendgate' for the iPhone]," the narrator says. "Instead of a bent phone, they may have a pocket full of glass."
Follow this article's writer, Leif Johnson, on Twitter.