All iPads Applecare+ accidental damage replacement details

zephyr707 · Jan 1, 2013

hi there,

new ipad owner, first time poster, i've searched a bit on the forum and on google and can't find some information regarding the applecare+ replacement for accidental damage. From what I understand for US customers, you pay $99 for the coverage and if your iPad gets damaged somehow in the next two years, you get a replacement for $49, 2 incidents maximum.

So, to me, this seems to be a no-brainer (but i'm prone to drop things), and I'm wondering if there is a catch somewhere. Furthermore, I'm surprised this isn't exploited more often, since apple would probably replace your iPad with the latest model. I can imagine someone smashing their iPad on the last day of their applecare coverage and receiving a brand new model for "troubles." As an AAPL shareholder, I would hope that they have a more stringent protocol for preventing such abuses of the applecare plan.

If anyone could shed more light on the applecare+ ins and out or point me to some information, I would be most appreciative.

thanks
z

ChristianVirtual · Jan 1, 2013

My wife "tested" it with her new iP5; dropped and smashed the screen. Easy replacement for the money you mentioned but got a refurbished device. You don't get a new retail box but a brownish or plain white box.

It's will also be valid for those cases you mentioned trying to sneak into a new device. I doubt Apple will not have enough refurbs even after launch of new iterations to give you what you bought: you mostly will end up with a refurb; exceptions not impossible though, depends on the genius.

Update: link to Apples support pages http://www.apple.com/support/products/

mrkjsn · Jan 1, 2013

There is no catch. It is as straight forward as you described it. Apple keeps enough replacements in stock that the likelihood of scoring the newest model is very slim. It's a worthwhile insurance and I picked it up for my iPad 3. For the mini however, $99 for AppleCare with a $50 deductible, it didn't make too much sense to me. That's already half the cost of a new one. Apple should have adjusted the AppleCare plus price accordingly. I did use my Amex card for the mini though so its purchase protection guarantee will cover me for a year.

zephyr707 · Jan 2, 2013

thanks for the replies and information, sounds like they have everything under control. Still sounds too good to be true, but I'm definitely getting it for my ipad, too expensive of an item not to have the peace of mind!

many thanks
z

Jman13 · Jan 3, 2013

It's a catch for this main reason: If you don't have applecare, you don't have to pay for an entirely new device if you break it...you have to pay the Out of Warranty repair max (if it is maxed)....which, in the case of the iPad 4 is $299. For the mini it's $219, and for the iPad 2 it's $249. (see here: http://support.apple.com/kb/index?page=servicefaq&geo=United_States&product=ipad )

On the iPad 4, it may make sense...you're taking a $100 gamble with your money for the potential savings of $150 (since if you break it, you'll still spend $150 with applecare+). (But, if you're a real klutz, perhaps you'll save much more if you need the second replacement).

On the Mini and iPad 2, it makes less sense: Since it's only $219 out of warranty on the mini, you're taking a $100 gamble to potentially save $69. That really doesn't make sense to me. Sure, if you break it, you'll save $70 over what you would have originally had to pay. However, if you don't break it, you just threw $100 out the window.

Since I have yet to break a single one of my Apple devices, nor has my wife (including mulitple iPods, two iPhone 3Gs, and one 4, 4S and 5, plus now the mini), if we'd have purchased AppleCare for all of them, we'd be out out the full price of an iPad 4 with nothing to show for it.

I contemplated it for my Mini, but it doesn't make much sense to me to risk $100 in the hopes of possibly saving $70. If I break my mini, I'll eat the $219...or, if I just break the screen, I should be able to do a replacement glass from iFixit or something for far less.

takeshi74 · Jan 3, 2013

zephyr707 said:
So, to me, this seems to be a no-brainer (but i'm prone to drop things), and I'm wondering if there is a catch somewhere.

The terms are there for you to refer to:
http://images.apple.com/legal/applecare/docs/applecareplusforipadenglish.pdf

zephyr707 said:
Furthermore, I'm surprised this isn't exploited more often, since apple would probably replace your iPad with the latest model.

Where are you getting this notion from? Insurance type coverages rarely allow for upgrades. Why would they give you the new model when they have refurbs of your model in stock?

zephyr707 said:
Still sounds too good to be true

There's nothing too good to be true about it. They sell it because the odds favor the house and it makes them money just as most insurance and extended warranties do.

Brian Y · Jan 3, 2013

You won't get a new model - you'll get the same model you have back, just a refurbished one instead of a smashed up one

zephyr707 · Jan 7, 2013

This is really helpful and exactly the analysis I was hoping someone more informed would provide by posting here, many thanks. You make a great case for getting applecare for the ipad 4 just on a numbers rationale, not to mention the peace of mind of having this replacement "discount".

I had read some reports about old gen mbp users receiving upgrades as replacements but these were obviously anecdotal and I'm sure there are a lot more refurb iPads sitting around for replacements these days. Still, I can imagine older gen iPads at the end of their applecare coverage not having a direct replacement and being replaced with current or next gen model, but I think this would be isolated.

Jman13 said:
It's a catch for this main reason: If you don't have applecare, you don't have to pay for an entirely new device if you break it...you have to pay the Out of Warranty repair max (if it is maxed)....which, in the case of the iPad 4 is $299. For the mini it's $219, and for the iPad 2 it's $249. (see here: http://support.apple.com/kb/index?page=servicefaq&geo=United_States&product=ipad )

On the iPad 4, it may make sense...you're taking a $100 gamble with your money for the potential savings of $150 (since if you break it, you'll still spend $150 with applecare+). (But, if you're a real klutz, perhaps you'll save much more if you need the second replacement).

On the Mini and iPad 2, it makes less sense: Since it's only $219 out of warranty on the mini, you're taking a $100 gamble to potentially save $69. That really doesn't make sense to me. Sure, if you break it, you'll save $70 over what you would have originally had to pay. However, if you don't break it, you just threw $100 out the window.

Since I have yet to break a single one of my Apple devices, nor has my wife (including mulitple iPods, two iPhone 3Gs, and one 4, 4S and 5, plus now the mini), if we'd have purchased AppleCare for all of them, we'd be out out the full price of an iPad 4 with nothing to show for it.

I contemplated it for my Mini, but it doesn't make much sense to me to risk $100 in the hopes of possibly saving $70. If I break my mini, I'll eat the $219...or, if I just break the screen, I should be able to do a replacement glass from iFixit or something for far less.

Bear · Jan 7, 2013

zephyr707 said:
...
I had read some reports about old gen mbp users receiving upgrades as replacements but these were obviously anecdotal and ...

With Macs they usually repair them so the don't have a stock of replacement Macs sitting around like they have for iPhones/iPads/iPods.

When Apple replaces a Mac it's usually after multiple repairs on the same Mac and yes it is generally replaced with a current model.

Also the Mac AppleCare coverage doesn't include the accidental damage that AppleCare+ covers.

rw3 · Jan 8, 2013

ChristianJapan said:
My wife "tested" it with her new iP5; dropped and smashed the screen. Easy replacement for the money you mentioned but got a refurbished device. You don't get a new retail box but a brownish or plain white box.

Not a 100% true on the "refurbished" part. Replacements are either brand new devices or remanufactured devices. Apple sends all products that are replaced at the Genius Bar back to the factory for complete disassembly and every component is then retested to a new standard. Even on remanufactured, everything you touch as well as the battery are brand new never used before components.

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All iPads Applecare+ accidental damage replacement details

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