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Apple to Update AppleCare with Subscription Service and In-Store Repair Options
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Works for me... I'm pretty handy with little components and a nice soldering station. Where do I apply?
The main thing apple misses is on site next business support.
I love this for our dell laptops. With MB-Pros and Airs and iMacs it's always a crappy drive through town and dumping the stuff at a repair service. If you are lucky you'll get your stuff back the next day or week.
What's keeping them from offering on site service probably is that they build hard-to-fix hardware in the first place! iMacs that are glued or need suction devices... well...
I love this for our dell laptops. With MB-Pros and Airs and iMacs it's always a crappy drive through town and dumping the stuff at a repair service. If you are lucky you'll get your stuff back the next day or week.
What's keeping them from offering on site service probably is that they build hard-to-fix hardware in the first place! iMacs that are glued or need suction devices... well...
I don't know, maybe because of many tidbits fees for replacing the whole unit instead of repairing it? Apple needs to transport them back to the factory, disassemble, recycle, remanufacture, repack and then taking it back to the store as another refurbished unit?
Sounds complicated and expensive to me while all you need maybe only replace the speaker, vibrator, or the screen?
No matter how you try to reason and play it, it's still better to at least try to fix and replace what's broken. That way they make sure only FUBARed units getting back and not just because of "users want it"
Higher end and more expensive Mac (MacPro, iMac) had this kind of service for years, no way Apple would replace the whole machine without at least try to repair for 2 3 times? Couldn't see why it is a problem with a lesser iPhone?
ONE POINT NOBODY BROUGHT UP...WHAT ABOUT RESALE OF MACS WHEN APPLECARE IS NOT TIED TO THE MACHINE?!
One of the best thing about buying or selling aMac with Applecare is the coverage goes with it...what happens with this new model when the Applecare is tied to the personal subscription and not the Mac?!
Resale values plummet...and used buyers get Macs with no coverage included...
One of the best thing about buying or selling aMac with Applecare is the coverage goes with it...what happens with this new model when the Applecare is tied to the personal subscription and not the Mac?!
Resale values plummet...and used buyers get Macs with no coverage included...
Standard warranty should be three years for everything, swap-out or repair, I don't really care...
my 5 broken Apple monitors, at 18 months old, that cost me a ****ing fortune, are now basically junk.
...oh and why didn't I buy Applecare on the monitors? It was more cost-effective to buy some 22" Samsung monitors with the cash (you get a built in 3-year warranty too and they're absolutely fantastic screens)
my 5 broken Apple monitors, at 18 months old, that cost me a ****ing fortune, are now basically junk.
...oh and why didn't I buy Applecare on the monitors? It was more cost-effective to buy some 22" Samsung monitors with the cash (you get a built in 3-year warranty too and they're absolutely fantastic screens)
at this point
I don't like this as far as Macs are concerned. If you purchase a D.O.A. or problematic Mac, instead of getting a new one you get it repaired? No thanks. I went through that route once before and it was an utter nightmare trying to get that iMac fixed before Apple finally agreed to replace it.
I will watch and wait for the official announcement, but I sure as heck do not like this.
I don't like this as far as Macs are concerned. If you purchase a D.O.A. or problematic Mac, instead of getting a new one you get it repaired? No thanks. I went through that route once before and it was an utter nightmare trying to get that iMac fixed before Apple finally agreed to replace it.
I will watch and wait for the official announcement, but I sure as heck do not like this.
Subscription on iTunes would have been great. Subscribe monthly for unlimited streaming, and then buy the ones you want
When it's DOA, it will always be a replacement, also you get 14 days return period, no question asked, that's including DOA case .. But when you have AppleCare and you've used your product for let's say 8 or 16 months. Why don't let them try to fix it?
Plus it's likely I don't have to restore all the data with the old unit, when with replacement, restore is an absolute case, and burdensome.
The worst thing ever is to send things to warranty and have some "genius" fix them.
Almost all brands hire the same company in Portugal to make repairs. The only I thing I can say is that your device will be in worse shape after you send it in for repairs.
The good thing about Apple was that those idiots wouldn't touch your iPod / iPhone / iPad.
(Btw: the ones that service macs , at least one of the companies have great service.)
Almost all brands hire the same company in Portugal to make repairs. The only I thing I can say is that your device will be in worse shape after you send it in for repairs.
The good thing about Apple was that those idiots wouldn't touch your iPod / iPhone / iPad.
(Btw: the ones that service macs , at least one of the companies have great service.)
It's true that some people abuse the system. However, the number of customers that Apple's outstanding customer support and Applecare policy attracts far more profit in the long run than it loses. Apple is sitting on billions.
If Applecare changes to a repair service for iPhones and iPads etc, then it become more like services offered by any other manufacturer.
As another poster said, this is clearly short sighted bean counting without looking at the bigger picture. Applecare+ was one of those things that sets Apple apart. Oh well.
I might look a little more closely at a quality Android phone the next time around.
User serviceable won't work with mobile phones, as most things would void the warranty anyway. People would use cheap/non-tested parts.
In regards to subscription for water, do you not pay your water bill?
I don't know if I miss something on the article, but I love the AppleCare subscription model because that way I'm in control of my AppleCare service period regarding of what Apple products I buy and when the AppleCare is ended with the old owner. Not depending on the machine.
Now I still don't know how much will it costs and how the pricing scheme will be varied with the numbers of Apple products owned.
Well let's hope they are better trained than my local Apple Store, who first told me that the logic board on my 27" 2011 imac was dead and that three senior technicians all agreed it was my fault because I put an SSD in 2 months prior and that the cost will be $950 as apple care is voided. Apparently they concurred after working on it for three days that although they could not see any damage by me that there was not way that it is possible to plug the SSD in without completely removing the logic board which I did not do therefore I broke it.
They were certain of this and that was that and that furthermore I would be much better off buying a new 27" imac as it would be ridiculous to spend that much repairing it.
Long story short after I said I was going to consumer affairs they decided that in fact there was nothing wrong with the logic board at all and the gpu had died which they repaired under applecare warrantee and replaced with with a new $56 1gb card (was 2gb)
Which itself died a month later apparently of natural causes. I took it to a non apple store repairer this time who did an exemplary job and after a call from a wonderful Apple customer service person who completely restored my faith in apple, authorised a 2gb replacement as it came with originally.
Yeah so lets hope they know what they are doing with this new influx of much more intricate work. I should say this was in Australia, not sure if that is relevant.
They were certain of this and that was that and that furthermore I would be much better off buying a new 27" imac as it would be ridiculous to spend that much repairing it.
Long story short after I said I was going to consumer affairs they decided that in fact there was nothing wrong with the logic board at all and the gpu had died which they repaired under applecare warrantee and replaced with with a new $56 1gb card (was 2gb)
Which itself died a month later apparently of natural causes. I took it to a non apple store repairer this time who did an exemplary job and after a call from a wonderful Apple customer service person who completely restored my faith in apple, authorised a 2gb replacement as it came with originally.
Yeah so lets hope they know what they are doing with this new influx of much more intricate work. I should say this was in Australia, not sure if that is relevant.
I think this move is not too bad. It's not as cool as getting an immediate replacement, but I can see how people abusing the system costs Apple a lot of money. So long as I get my unit on the spot (meaning the Genius goes to the back, fixes it, and brings it right back) and if it can't be fixed on the spot in under an hour or so it is then replaced.
Currently I know this happens a lot, where people have a nick or scratch on their phone and they make up crap to tell the Genius just to get a replacement. Also, some of the fixes take maybe 10 minutes by a skilled professional, which does save on having the unit transported, refurbished (which involves all new case, screen, and battery), and sent back.
One advantage for customers here is that you don't necessarily lose all your data after a small repair. Also, one hidden bonus is that since you get your old unit back you at least can be confident that nothing else is broken. Where as sometimes your replacement unit can have a whole different problem.
But overall, this is what happens when people abuse the system. I would not be surprised if their refund/exchange policy tightens up next to prevent dealing with those people who go through like 15 iMacs before they get the "perfect" one.
Currently I know this happens a lot, where people have a nick or scratch on their phone and they make up crap to tell the Genius just to get a replacement. Also, some of the fixes take maybe 10 minutes by a skilled professional, which does save on having the unit transported, refurbished (which involves all new case, screen, and battery), and sent back.
One advantage for customers here is that you don't necessarily lose all your data after a small repair. Also, one hidden bonus is that since you get your old unit back you at least can be confident that nothing else is broken. Where as sometimes your replacement unit can have a whole different problem.
But overall, this is what happens when people abuse the system. I would not be surprised if their refund/exchange policy tightens up next to prevent dealing with those people who go through like 15 iMacs before they get the "perfect" one.
Not happy with this, especially if the policy makes its way to Apple computers. I've had instances where Apple care has caused cosmetic damage to my system.
Also very inconvinient, imagine you buy a defective Apple product and then you have to wait for repairs. Ultimately the customer will have to suffer.
Also very inconvinient, imagine you buy a defective Apple product and then you have to wait for repairs. Ultimately the customer will have to suffer.
Stockholders want more money. You have a say if you own at least 1 apple share. You can attend the annual shareholders conference and voice your opinion then. Or do nothing and let the company die off like most corporate companies do after they lose sight of what made them special to begin with.
Yes, me as customers would feel concerned too if my machine having cosmetic damage after a repair attempt.
But it's just the economy works, it's fair enough that Apple honor the warranty and repair your product, or even replace when it's bad enough.
OTOH, it would be too much if we ask for a replacement every time minor failure happens.
"Oh crap my iPhone has this minor dent I want a new one" is purely an abuse from a spoiled customer.
If you buy a defective Mac out of the box, this change doesn't affect the consumer's ability to get a new unit within the 14-day return policy. Past this, Apple repairs the defective component. This new AppleCare change doesn't really affect Mac products, instead it affects more of the iOS devices.
Except for the insane prices of Applecare.
Nope, I wouldn't accept that, if I'm handing in an iPhone that Apple built shoddy with one or two minor scratches on it, I'd no be accepting a replacement with anybody *else's* scratches on it.
Mine are more artistic
But in all honesty, I had a defective iPhone [camera], it had a scratch on the back cover, I got a mail in repair with a nice, scratch-free new/refurb phone. Looks in perfect condition. Next day, I mailed back my old phone. Easy peasy.
Madness
Apple have more than US$100 billion stashed off shore from the USA, they have just realised a significant tax saving in excess of US$7 Billion by issuing debt bonds at low coupon rates to repurchase shares and push the stock price up - a price that at over US$400 per share is way over valued.
Now, still having their cash in the bank, repurchasing shares via a debt issue and having as tax deductible all interest paid on said bonds, Apple decide in their wisdom to save a miserly US$1 billion per annum by changing their AppleCare programme - a system that has earned them great respect and loyalty from many users.
As an example, I took my daughters iPod Touch back to the Apple shop just before the 12 month warranty expired - it had AppleCare applied as well - product was changed instantly due to a battery issue, daughter still has iTouch although out of warranty and has the latest iTouch to boot, again with AppleCare.
I have iMac's located in two country's for business, all with AppleCare, in Hong Kong, since Apple opened its stores, service has been good, prior to this it usually took 1 week for repairs - so was happy bunny.
In the UK, I'm 20 miles from nearest Apple Store, bus trip alone is 1 hour, never mind dragging iMac to the store itself - which I'll do in August once AppleCare nearly expires to get another year out of a 2010 machine hopefully.
Also need to purchase a laptop this year, together with a refurbished iPad 4 - why Apple, because at the end of the day, AppleCare was usually better than what the competition offered.
Given high cost of AppleCare, likelihood that at least once within the three or two years your item will require a repair, present system worked well.
Applecare is already expensive, so if the subscription system works out cheaper for those like me with multiple devices great - if its more expensive though, forget it - basically better off purchasing items from stores that offer two or three year warranties.
Whatever the case, it does seem like profit gouging, which given how profitable Apple are I don't like - by the way, Cook is no Job's and he is a bean counter, so it really does not auger well.
Apple have more than US$100 billion stashed off shore from the USA, they have just realised a significant tax saving in excess of US$7 Billion by issuing debt bonds at low coupon rates to repurchase shares and push the stock price up - a price that at over US$400 per share is way over valued.
Now, still having their cash in the bank, repurchasing shares via a debt issue and having as tax deductible all interest paid on said bonds, Apple decide in their wisdom to save a miserly US$1 billion per annum by changing their AppleCare programme - a system that has earned them great respect and loyalty from many users.
As an example, I took my daughters iPod Touch back to the Apple shop just before the 12 month warranty expired - it had AppleCare applied as well - product was changed instantly due to a battery issue, daughter still has iTouch although out of warranty and has the latest iTouch to boot, again with AppleCare.
I have iMac's located in two country's for business, all with AppleCare, in Hong Kong, since Apple opened its stores, service has been good, prior to this it usually took 1 week for repairs - so was happy bunny.
In the UK, I'm 20 miles from nearest Apple Store, bus trip alone is 1 hour, never mind dragging iMac to the store itself - which I'll do in August once AppleCare nearly expires to get another year out of a 2010 machine hopefully.
Also need to purchase a laptop this year, together with a refurbished iPad 4 - why Apple, because at the end of the day, AppleCare was usually better than what the competition offered.
Given high cost of AppleCare, likelihood that at least once within the three or two years your item will require a repair, present system worked well.
Applecare is already expensive, so if the subscription system works out cheaper for those like me with multiple devices great - if its more expensive though, forget it - basically better off purchasing items from stores that offer two or three year warranties.
Whatever the case, it does seem like profit gouging, which given how profitable Apple are I don't like - by the way, Cook is no Job's and he is a bean counter, so it really does not auger well.