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AppleCare+ to End Informal Free Replacement Policy for Damaged iPhones
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I just contacted Apple. The lady on the phone told me that if you did not purchase AppleCare+ with the phone, they will make an exception for those who pre-ordered the phones on the 7th. Bring your email confirmation to the Apple Store and they will sell you an AppleCare+.
So it sounds like this is just in the case of accidental damage? I assume that OEM issues and such still fall under the standard warranty.
I'll be willing to wait and see the stories that come out about people's experiences in this regard before I make a rash judgement that Apple's customer service is going to go to ****.
I'll be willing to wait and see the stories that come out about people's experiences in this regard before I make a rash judgement that Apple's customer service is going to go to ****.
I always get AppleCare -- but I've never expected it use it as an extended warranty. I get it for the unlimited tech support. I can call Apple or walk into a genius bar any time and have any questions answered or problems solved. To me, that's been worth the extra money.
In all my years owning Apple products, I've never had one with a defect that the original warranty didn't cover. I consider "AppleCare" synonymous with "Tech Support."
In all my years owning Apple products, I've never had one with a defect that the original warranty didn't cover. I consider "AppleCare" synonymous with "Tech Support."
The way I can see how this is a good thing is in the cases that Apple will NOT replace your phone, its basically a guarentee that you can get your iPhone replaced if something happens to your phone. I bought AppleCare with my iMac and my iPhone and when my 3GS had went tits up, they sent me a new phone.
I have faith in AppleCare, but then like my dad always says to the retail clerk "Why do I need a warrenty is it gonna break?" lol.
I have faith in AppleCare, but then like my dad always says to the retail clerk "Why do I need a warrenty is it gonna break?" lol.
Huh, that's interesting. My husband has had his iPhone 4 replaced twice, and both times they gave him a brand new one, not a refurb.
Letting Apple Genius' have the leeway has always been a liability. A liability that Apple was obviously OK with. But consider that as iPhone sales/user base increases - so does that liability. At some point - they can't or won't tolerate it. This policy makes decent business sense no matter how much it ruffles feathers. I would imagine many of the replacements they gave under the loose policy were catering to perfectionists who knew about the policy and were abusing it - or at least taking somewhat advantage of it. Those will be the people who whine the loudest on this thread/down vote the reality of the situation.
Truth is - this new(er) policy won't affect most of the general public who don't obsess about the exact color temperature of their phones, a minor scratch they, themselves put on the device, etc.
Truth is - this new(er) policy won't affect most of the general public who don't obsess about the exact color temperature of their phones, a minor scratch they, themselves put on the device, etc.
Squaretrade is offering a limited time special for iPhone 4S coverage that is on sale for $99 with a $50 deductible for claims based on accidents.
Sounds very similar to AppleCare+
Maybe they will react to this news with a better offer.
Apple now have tremendous pressure to get more money to pay the new CEO's bonus.
Wow, really?? I guess if you say so.
don't get the negativity. if you don't believe in it don't get it.
i for one have bought apple care for every apple device i've purcahsed and my business has purchased.
it has always ended up saving me money.
on 4 mac pros, and 4 mac book pros, 3 iphones, 6 apple cinema dispalys. and two ipads.
3 mac pros had problems whcih exceeded teh cost of apple care. one of them had problems 3 different times.
1 ipad1 replaced because of dead pixels. and then replaced again because of light leakage.
2 apple cinema displays eventually started flickering and were replaced by apple care.
3 macbook pros were all repaired by apple care. one had the entire screen housing replaced because the isight didn't work, the logic board and optical drive replaced.
So for me Its saved my ass a bunch of times. For others i can see they've never had issues. To each his own.
I've ordered two new iphone 4s's with apple care +. Its cheaper than the carriers insurance.
i for one have bought apple care for every apple device i've purcahsed and my business has purchased.
it has always ended up saving me money.
on 4 mac pros, and 4 mac book pros, 3 iphones, 6 apple cinema dispalys. and two ipads.
3 mac pros had problems whcih exceeded teh cost of apple care. one of them had problems 3 different times.
1 ipad1 replaced because of dead pixels. and then replaced again because of light leakage.
2 apple cinema displays eventually started flickering and were replaced by apple care.
3 macbook pros were all repaired by apple care. one had the entire screen housing replaced because the isight didn't work, the logic board and optical drive replaced.
So for me Its saved my ass a bunch of times. For others i can see they've never had issues. To each his own.
I've ordered two new iphone 4s's with apple care +. Its cheaper than the carriers insurance.
The replacements I have received have always been refurb, but Apple replaces all the exterior parts with new ones so it looks Brand New. Not sure how much wear and tear the internals actually take since I believe everything except the Vibrate Motor is non-moving.
I hope that Apple isn't changing one of it's best loyalty creation features - the ability of the Apple Store employees to fix / replace things without charge. This has wowed me in the past and created or enforced tremendous appreciation and loyalty that has translated into additional purchases. I've seen several posts of the years from friends who had an iPhone issue and note how they've just had the Apple employee say - "no problem" and replaced their phone for free. Again, they are out there raving on Twitter or FB about really good customer service that dramatically exceeds their expectations. It would be a shame if they've hired the business pricing consultant that HP is using to find some additional short-term dollars.
Curious. Did your refurb come in a brand new box as if it has never been opened before?
Damn. Well, I knew the generous flexibility had to end at some point. Thankfully, the genius replaced my water damaged iPhone 4 this weekend without charging me.
This is good for Apple. It will help them from losing money on this. Hopefully it will add to the quarterly profits. I don't mind paying more as long as it helps Apple.
... Except that now it requires you to purchase the program along with the device, giving you no time to decide on whether to get the program in the complimentary warranty period. That's user experience, in terms of choice.
So if you damage your phone, you expect a free replacement or else you are going elsewhere? Ah, I love the American attitude.
To add to the confusion, I called the local (Knoxville, TN) Apple Store and asked about AC+. I told them that I pre-ordered my iPhone 4S though AT&T and was interested in also getting AC+. They told me that I should have been able to purchase it when I ordered my phone... even though that wasn't an option. I was then told to contact AT&T and Apple wouldn't be able to sell it to me.
I then called up Apple's 1-800-MY-APPLE and spoke to someone in sales (Charline, I think it was). They said that I can call up on Friday and have it added to the phone... which, trying to get through on Friday is likely to suck.
I then called up Apple's 1-800-MY-APPLE and spoke to someone in sales (Charline, I think it was). They said that I can call up on Friday and have it added to the phone... which, trying to get through on Friday is likely to suck.
So for those who didn't purchase AppleCare+, what about the first year of warranty? No more free replacements even though the phone is still under warranty?
If you buy your laptop and it doesn't last a year with Apple and it wasn't something you did, they will still fix it for free. That hasn't changed. That's called covering it under your standard warranty. Also, if you buy apple care, that standard warranty is extended and under the extended period it will still be covered for free (long as it is a defect rather than you doing something to break it).
What has changed is they are no longer going to give the genius's leeway to replace your iPhone for free when *you* do something to break it (the stuff that isn't covered under warranty like water damage or dropping it).
If that is your issue than you need reading comprehension cause they didn't say they were changing their standard warranty. Just that they are no longer allowing genius's at their discretion to waive the 199 dollar replacement fee when you bring it in for something *you* did to it.