Apple increased AppleCare+ Incident Fee

[fieldsphotos]

Crud, those new OOW prices don't help the case for Apple Care+ at all, do they. In my history of i-devices, we have had water damage on two 5's (one of which did not have Apple Care+) and several screen shatters (damn tile floors), which we have used Apple Care + for. I also had a phone stolen, which Apple Care+ doesn't cover at all, and was the most painful replacement a few months before the 6 release.

I have never had to use TWO instances of Apple Care within the service period. BUT. I know as soon as I don't get it, THAT's the year it will happen. That is what happened when I ended up with a water damaged iPhone and no Apple Care+. That was the year I decided I didn't need it, and then we proceeded to have a seal failure on a waterproof case during a snorkeling trip. Ruined both phones in the case. My husband had Apple Care+ at the time and ragged on me for quite a while that he got his phone replaced for $49 and I had to pay $299 (or whatever the OOW fee was).

Sigh. I guess I will treat Apple Care+ like I do my Apple devices. A product that you pay a premium for. I do like having the extra coverage since I have used it in the past, and the fact that I can get it all done on the spot at an Apple store is a nice bonus. Easier than dealing with Square Trade or one of the other companies where you have to get reimbursed for the repair costs.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

I know that AppleCare+ will give me a refurbished replacement set even if it is a simple case of the display being broken.

Does the same apply if your screen is broken and you pay a flat fee without AppleCare+? Or do they simply replace the screen with the rest of the device as-is? This is actually a pretty big difference, as I definitely prefer a full replacement.

You can either opt to pay $299/$329 for a full replacement or replace the screen itself for significantly cheaper. Your choice.

 

[aneftp]

I am going with att mobile insurance. I never carry insurance but my wife is very reckless with her iPhones. The 5S I gave her in like new condition last year has had water damage. Dents from drops etc. she's "lost it 2-3 times" as well. But very kind people have returned the phone.

So $7 a month with att mobile insurance that covers lost and theft is worth it. Deductible is $199 for first 6 months. Than drops to $150 for months 7-12. After 12 months it's $99 deductible.

So paying $84/year for mobile insurance I can cancel anytime. If she breaks screen in months 3-12 (I have Amex accidentally coverage). Than I will probably just pay the apple to repair it officially.

But after 12 months I will use the deductible to get a refurbished phone from att.

And if by month 20 she has not breakage or lost I will just cancel the coverage and she can just have to wing it with older iPhone until iPhone 7S (2017 version comes out).

 

[masotime]

You can either opt to pay $299/$329 for a full replacement or replace the screen itself for significantly cheaper. Your choice.

Hmmm.. that's a pretty big difference. What if I have dents or other cosmetic damages on the phone along with a shattered screen? That is not an unlikely scenario.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

Hmmm.. that's a pretty big difference. What if I have dents or other cosmetic damages on the phone along with a shattered screen? That is not an unlikely scenario.

It'll depend on whether the dent(s) interfere with the screen replacement. If a screen replacement isn't possible due to the dent, then your only choice is the full replacement at the OOW price.

 

[masotime]

It'll depend on whether the dent(s) interfere with the screen replacement. If a screen replacement isn't possible due to the dent, then your only choice is the full replacement at the OOW price.

There's something to be said about the peace-of-mind of having a no pre-condition insurance. Despite the higher cost of AppleCare+, knowing that I'll essentially get an immediate full replacement regardless of the kind of damage can be pretty valuable.

I think I'll still with the AppleCare+ option, but I'll agree that if you expect display damage to be your only concern, then it's definitely not worth it to get AppleCare+.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

There's something to be said about the peace-of-mind of having a no pre-condition insurance. Despite the higher cost of AppleCare+, knowing that I'll essentially get an immediate full replacement regardless of the kind of damage can be pretty valuable.

I think I'll still with the AppleCare+ option, but I'll agree that if you expect display damage to be your only concern, then it's definitely not worth it to get AppleCare+.

It also depends on your historical risk of damaging your iPhone. I've had iPhones going all the way to the original and have never damaged them. Guess how much money I saved from not buying AC? Obviously enough to cover an OOW replacement plus a lot more. All defects that I've had in the second year were covered by American Express so I've never paid for those either.

 

[masotime]

It also depends on your historical risk of damaging your iPhone. I've had iPhones going all the way to the original and have never damaged them. Guess how much money I saved from not buying AC? Obviously enough to cover an OOW replacement plus a lot more. All defects that I've had in the second year were covered by American Express so I've never paid for those either.

That's a good point. I tend to be pretty careless with my iPhone, and I typically use it "naked" without a case, so the risk factor for me is generally higher.