Apple has revealed a flat-rate charge for repairing any damage to a HomeView, and without AppleCare insurance, it's $279.
As always, Apple makes sure that its service and repair charges make its AppleCare insurance options as attractive as possible. But that is perhaps more so this time as the uninsured repair cost is just $20 less than buying a brand-new HomeView.
Apple launched two versions of the HomeView, both priced at $299, with one wall-mounted and one on its own base. Apple's online repair estimate service actually distinguishes between two but it's not clear why since their service charge is identical.
Typically that online repair page lists different prices for different devices, of course, but also for different types of repair. So screen replacement is usually more costly than getting a new battery, for instance.
There's no such breakdown on the HomeView, and the repair estimator just lists a service cost for what Apple calls "Other damage." Without any AppleCare insurance, that cost is $279.
If you have either AppleCare One or AppleCare+ insurance, the repair charge drops to a flat-rate $39.
AppleCare+ is Apple's insurance for a single device. For the HomeView, that costs $2.49 per month or $24.99 per year until cancelled.
Since you are required to have an iPhone in order to use the HomeView, the bundle AppleCare One might be better value. That is $19.99 per month and covers three items.
However, you need to choose your three devices carefully for AppleCare One to be the right option. If you bought all of Apple's latest launches, for instance, buying separate AppleCare+ for HomeView, one HomePod mini and an Apple TV 4K would cost just $4.97.
But then the cost of AppleCare+ for the iPhone Duo, for instance, is $19.99 by itself. So there are combinations of HomeView and other Apple devices that do make the AppleCare One bundle the best option.
