iPhone AppleCare Protection Plan available now for US$69

My buddy Reggie Suplido, from sites such as MicroPCTalk, is a fellow Apple iPhone owner and let me know that Apple is now offering AppleCare for the iPhone for US$69. The AppleCare Protection Plan extends your one year repair coverage to two years from the original purchase date. The site states you can purchase the Protection Plan any time within the one year initial coverage to extend it for another year. I thought previous reports stated this Protection Plan would cover the interim iPhone while yours is in the shop for repair or replacement, but I could not find this detail in any of the literature. Since I now have a two year AT&T obligation, I may purchase the Protection Plan as I approach the end of the first year with the device and imagine by that time I'll be aware of any issues with the device. Be aware that residents of Alabama, Connecticut, Nevada, and Wyoming are not eligible to purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan.