Which is an option for those who have credit cards.
If you are using cash or a debit card you don't get this option.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Care +
- Thread starter max2
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
If you are using cash or a debit card you don't get this option.
THey'll replace those things as regular warranty as well. If you're one of those who gets a phone every year anyway, the AC+ doesn't add to this (unless of course your are throwing your headphones in a blander or something crazy that wouldnt be covered under Apple's "we make cheap cables and earphones that fall apart" clase lol).
Not adding this to argue wither Apple care is worth it or not, just wanted to point out that AC is no needed to get replacement chargers or earbuds within the first year.
True. I just do not see why you would not use a CC knowing you get that added benefit (assuming the person is credit worthy).
This is true. If I were paying insurance on something I would want it to also cover loss or theft. I think the point is that you need to either completely destroy your phone to see a small savings with Apple care (or twice to see a large savings) or shatter your screen twice to see a small savings.
There was a time when the cost of APple care was under $100 and the cost of a replacmeent/repair under Apple care was also under $100. It made more sense to get APple care at that point because your first breakage incident you were already at a (very) small savings. With the current model, a broken screen (most common repair/replacement scenario) you have still spent more money total than you would out of pocket. Great for Apple, not the consumer.
I set aside $10 a month per line. The money I have saved over the years not buying any form of insurance is enough to buy tweo top end iPhones full price; that's not nothing. Ofcourse, I take great care of my devices. Again, I'd still grab Apple care if it covered theft. I find third party insurances have too high of a monthly rate and much too high of a deductible to make those worth it either. At the end of the day, insurance is set to make the insurer the big bucks. I don';t insure anything that wouldn't put me under sever financial strain to recover.
[doublepost=1455638667][/doublepost]
I don't think most folks buy their phones outright, at least in the US. There are also various financing perks giving out by carriers that the credit card example wouldn't apply to. We got $200 knocked off per phone through TMO (free storageupgrade from 16GB to 128). ATT is currently doing a free iphone through Next when you purchase another iPhone through next. In both cases that's over $600 in savings. THat's two out of pocket replacements.
Last edited:
The "assuming the person is credit worthy" part is key here.
Not everyone is. I got my iPhone 5 using my debit card and my wife's iPhone 5 using cash. We did not have credit cards at the time, but we used our tax refund and a bonus paycheck to buy the phones.
Not entirely true. Most Mastercard and Visa debit cards issued by most banks do offer the extended warranty benefit. I know that my bank's debit card does for sure.
I was not aware of that, thanks. Don't think my bank has that though. Although their fraud department is excellent!
I did not know that. I thought for visa it was only "signature cards" and for mastercard it was only "world cards" or "world elite cards"
With regards to the MasterCard, I think my bank's debit card is a world MasterCard. They tout worldwide acceptance for their debit cards.
AppleCare+ on the iP6s is $129 + tax so about $6 per month (a bit less). I like being able to call Apple if I have a problem with my device, I like unlimited deductible free warranty replacements for 2 years and when I sell my device before 2 years is up, I get some of the money back since people will pay more for a used device with AppleCare+ coverage.
[doublepost=1455695396][/doublepost]
But how do you go about getting the replacement device? With AppleCare+, I just make an appointment and take it to the store or call and they mail me one.
I bank with BofA and I'm not aware of any such program.
[doublepost=1455696306][/doublepost]
Generally your pay for the repair or replacement outright and the bank reimburses you, from what I've read.
With American Express, you get 1 year extended warranty but if you buy the phone on contract, they won't get you a new phone. The max you can get is the purchase price, which is the subsidized price. They can fulfill their obligation by giving you $200 if you buy a 16GB iP6s on contract.
And if you buy the phone on a DPP, then you don't get any coverage from your credit card since you only paid the tax by credit card.
Credit card protection is only valuable if you pay full price for the phone - not a DPP and not a subsidized price on contract.
[doublepost=1455697122][/doublepost]
I am willing to bet it works that way with all of the credit cards.
And of course, if you buy a phone on a DPP, there is no coverage through your credit card.
And if you buy the phone on a DPP, then you don't get any coverage from your credit card since you only paid the tax by credit card.
Credit card protection is only valuable if you pay full price for the phone - not a DPP and not a subsidized price on contract.
[doublepost=1455697122][/doublepost]
With American Express, if the price of the repair or the replacement exceeds the purchase price, you only get the purchase price. If you buy a subsidized phone on contract, that is only $200 for a 16GB iPhone 6s.
I am willing to bet it works that way with all of the credit cards.
And of course, if you buy a phone on a DPP, there is no coverage through your credit card.
you are correct here. In all instance we are referring to buying devices outright, as you may notice going back through the thread. It doesn't make sense to rely on your credit cards insurance in any other scenario.
There are hardly any contracts anymore anyhow, so that point is virtually moot
That is only true on AT&T and TMobile. Contracts are alive and well on Verizon and Sprint. On Verizon you can even get a contract phone on the new plans, although it rarely makes sense to do so.
Yeah, I simply meant more people are getting away from them since it makes no sense after the number crunch. Regardless, relying on a credit card insurance perk only with an outright purchase should be the take home point.
I am sure that the large majority of iPhones purchased in the US are purchased on contract or under DPP, including Apple's new DPP.
[doublepost=1455698190][/doublepost]
That depends entirely on what plan you are on. On Verizon, only if you are on a More Everything plan with 6GB or more of data or a new plan does it make sense to buy a phone on DPP. For every other Verizon customer, they are better off with a contract phone. On Sprint, if you are on a SERO or grandfathered plan, you are better off with a contract phone. And on AT&T if you have a Nation plan with UDP, you are better off with a contract phone because there is no discount for being month to month.
Basically with any of the grandfathered plans, you are better off with a contract phone b/c there is no discount for being MTM.
Maybe you misunderstood. I'm simply saying that everyone recommending credit card insurance coverages are referring to buying the device outright with the card.
Anyway, you asked a question that I tried to answer but you obviously knew the answer to the question so, I think that settles things lol.
You got lucky then not needing any warranty repairs/replacements after 1 year. Most of the devices I have purchased for my family members have required a warranty claim after 1 year. Could be that the cost of the repair would have been less than the AC+, idk, but what I do know for sure is that nothing is more hassle free than taking the device to an Apple store and getting handed a refurb with a new case, glass and battery. That lack of hassle is worth a lot of money to me.
Currently I sell the old phones and buy new ones each year. The phones are kept in cases with screen protectors so they are in very good condition for sale. When I sell the year old devices, people are willing to pay more for the AC+ coverage and the devices sell very quickly too, I am sure because of the AC+ policy.
Im thinking about getting apple care + for my iPhone SE in the UK.
A post on the first page said you have to pay a service fee of so much for accidental damage, it seems a lot going by that post.
I just chatted with Apple support and was told you pay a service fee, which for the SE would be £55.
If this is correct and I presume its the same in the UK, the below seems totally not worth it, but it states different on apple care info I just got from apple support.
Third post down on first page:
"AppleCare+ is totally NOT worth it. Tim Cook considers AppleCare+ a profit center, where they make 99% profit margin on each AppleCare+ sold.
Let me break it down to you:
If you don't have AppleCare+ :
A post on the first page said you have to pay a service fee of so much for accidental damage, it seems a lot going by that post.
I just chatted with Apple support and was told you pay a service fee, which for the SE would be £55.
If this is correct and I presume its the same in the UK, the below seems totally not worth it, but it states different on apple care info I just got from apple support.
Third post down on first page:
"AppleCare+ is totally NOT worth it. Tim Cook considers AppleCare+ a profit center, where they make 99% profit margin on each AppleCare+ sold.
Let me break it down to you:
If you don't have AppleCare+ :
- If you break the screen on iPhone 6S, Apple will charge you $129 to replace the screen
- If you get water damage or run your car over the iPhone 6S, it will cost you an out-of-warranty replacement cost of $299.
- If you break the screen, Apple will charge you $99 deductible + original cost of AppleCare which will end up costing you $228 (129+99)
- If you get water damage or run your car over the iPhone 6S, Apple will charge you $99 deductible + original cost of AppleCare which will end up costing you $228 (129+99)"
It's also possible that neither of us present a statistically meaningful sample to assert whether one or the other is lucky. But plenty of people on these forums have kept their phones for many years without needing warranty. Perhaps you and yours have just been unlucky? From my viewpoint that's just as likely. i don't imagine that Apple, as a company, would be doing as well if the vast majority of their devices needing servicing after more than a year of use. Further, it's not a company who's products I would personally buying as often as I do if I knew that I needed to spend an extra $100 on top of what I had already paid for the product itself just to make sure said product doesn't break on me.
I plan to keep my 6s plus for at least two years unless Apple really gives us something unexpected with the 7. I don't expect to have any problems, but problems aren't generally predictable. In any case, as mentioned, I could go out and buy a new phone and throw this one out and still be ahead. I consider that a smarter way to spend my money. But we are all different. If Apple care is a service that adds value to you, that's perfectly acceptable.
Last edited: