Apple Releases Its Invite-Only Program That Rewards VIP Forum Members 

Apple made its Community+ program public this week . Like other tech companies like Dell, HP, and Microsoft, Apple rewards knowledgeable volunteers who often contribute to the online support community.

As seen via iClarified on Wednesday, Apple launched the Apple Community+ Program web page, which details the program, which invites a small number of forum members each year to receive special awards. An Apple spokesperson told Ars Technica that while the webpage is new, the program “has been around for several years.”It is likely that, since only a small number of people participate in the program, there was not much talk about it before the launch of the page.

Community+ members receive “special privileges, white gloves, and more,”according to the program’s page, but Apple didn’t specify what that means, and the company declined to provide Ars Technica with more details about the rewards.

Apple also didn’t list the boxes you must check to be invited. However, the Community+ page states that invitees are “high-level community members”who are “engaged and active in the community”, “sharing quality content and helpful responses to build their reputation”and are role models for the forum.

Regular members of the Apple Support community already receive points for engaging in activities such as asking or answering a question, or for having one of their answers marked “helpful”by other members of the community. Earning Virtual Points can lead to virtual rewards, such as the ability to have your own avatar image or access to The Lounge, where you and other high-profile members can have discussions.

The Community+ program promises better perks. Again, we don’t have specifics, but we can look for ideas in similar tech privilege programs.

As noted by The Verge, members of the Microsoft support forum have been receiving MVP awards for over 20 years, with more than 4,000 people reportedly receiving the title to date. Privileges include early access to Microsoft products and an invitation to the annual Global MVP Summit at Microsoft Headquarters in Redmond, Washington.

For several years now, Dell has been rewarding its most elite members of the community with invitations to online and in-person events, as well as providing new product tests and internal resources. Meanwhile, the HP Expert program rewards include invitations to virtual and live events, as well as the opportunity to speak with HP employees.

It’s great to hear that Apple is also rewarding its most helpful forum members who can save hours of time for free for Apple customers and employees. However, without examining these perks in detail, it’s unclear how valuable Apple is.