Breaking the screen on an M4 iPad Pro or M2 iPad Air just got cheaper

If you're waiting for May 15 to roll around so that you can get your hands on a hot new M4 iPad Pro or M2 iPad Air, you won't have to wait too much longer, thankfully. We're just a couple of days away from the big release, and there's yet more good news for people who are concerned that they might have to deal with a huge fee should they accidentally damage their new device.

The displays on the new iPad Pro and iPad Air are big and look stunning, especially the OLED display found on the 13-inch iPad Pro. So the thought of accidentally breaking one would be enough to give anyone the cold sweats. Thankfully, MacRumors reports that Apple has extended its $29 iPhone screen repair program to the iPad Pro and iPad Air for the first time. The move means that it will be cheaper than ever to get a new display installed. The catch? You'll need to be an AppleCare Plus subscriber to benefit from the reduced pricing. Unfortunately, breaking the rest of the iPad will still result in a $99 fee.

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All of this makes the AppleCare Plus subscription a no-brainer if you're someone who tends to drop things or is likely to take the iPad on trips. It's easy for something to bang into a bag and accidentally damage what's inside, and replacing the display on one of Apple's new tablets is a very expensive experience. Without AppleCare Plus, a new display will cost between $449 and $999 which is a huge sum of money.

Thankfully, taking out AppleCare Plus isn't as expensive as you might think. An 11-inch iPad Air costs $79 or $3.99 per month while the 13-inch model costs $99 or $4.99 per month. 11-inch iPad Pro buyers pay $149 or $7.49 per month while those who have the 13-inch version pay a little more; $169 or $8.49 per month.

The new iPad Pro comes with Apple's very first M4 chip inside as well as that stunning OLED display, making this the best tablet Apple has ever sold. The iPad Air has seen its M1 chip upgraded to the newer M2, while the addition of the 13-inch version gives buyers a new option if they want a big-screen tablet. Both models are available for preorder now and will officially go on sale on May 15, although stocks of some models are already hard to come by for a launch day delivery.