Apple "Support" is a JOKE - I'll never buy another $3500 machine from them again.

[Queso]

I couldn't see a thread, but I thought this just about sums up Apple "Support" at the moment. Customers who've paid up for a service suddenly find out the service has completely changed without notification.

Simply not good enough Apple. Maybe they think concentrating resources on winning new customers is preferable, but I can imagine a lot of those new people walking once Apple gives them the runaround.

Dell are losing customers (and stock value) because their Support service went south. Are Apple so stupid they want the same thing to happen to them?

 

[interlaced]

I've sat at a genius bar at one of the Apple Stores here while they ran diagnostics on my machine. I watched a BUNCH of people come by with problems and all of them that needed repairs were told by the geniuses that they'd order the part and have them come back with the computer when it came in to do the repair. Not sure why they're making the OP leave his computer there when they won't even be working on it til the part arrives.

 

[Maxx Power]

it's hardware...anyone can anything fail at any time. anyone who can't realize that, shouldn't be buying anyone's hardware....

That reasoning has no reason why it can't go both ways, for the makers of hardware. If they realize there are failing machines due to materials or worksmanship, they should cover the product over the "high risk period", which should be determined by at least in part, by the price of the product. So, for a several thousand dollar, that period, should be in my opinion, more than 1 year. Let's see here, Dell seems to agree, BenQ seems to agree, Acer seems to agree, on expensive monitors, that even means a 200 dollar monitor by Acer, also LG, Samsung even offfers "zero-pixel defect" policy.

 

[Neonguy]

That reasoning has no reason why it can't go both ways, for the makers of hardware. If they realize there are failing machines due to materials or worksmanship, they should cover the product over the "high risk period", which should be determined by at least in part, by the price of the product. So, for a several thousand dollar, that period, should be in my opinion, more than 1 year. Let's see here, Dell seems to agree, BenQ seems to agree, Acer seems to agree, on expensive monitors, that even means a 200 dollar monitor by Acer, also LG, Samsung even offfers "zero-pixel defect" policy.

*SIGH* I do wish Apple try harder on this part. They were so great in the past, what have happen to them in term of qaulity control? It is because they are selling more of their product now that qaulity control don't matter to them as much as before? Also, support back then was much better in my opinion.

 

[Arnaud]

I bought an iMac 2 years ago, and the DVD unit started to act stupid a little after 1 year (spitting cd's out, and increasing failure rate for burning dvd's). Changing the internal unit was way too expensive, compared to buying an external dvd-burner (with higher specs).
I thought: cr*p, I wish I still had a warranty. But I kinda learnt my lesson.

I bought a new iMac 2 months ago, and I paid for the extended Apple Care, so that anything wrong happening in the next 3 years should be covered.

I agree that screens should last more than 1 year, and they do statistically, but warranty is about the bad-luck accidental one here and there - which happens to be yours.

If you're not extra-rich, you should consider that Apple Care is not an option, but an obligation, and part of the real price. (If you're extra-rich, you'll dump your machine with the first problem on eBay, and buy the newest one anyway).

Btw, I bought my TV with an extended 3-year warranty, and my washing-machine with an extended 5-year. It's not limited to Apple: you have to consider how much security you want for any appliance. Nobody offers 10-year warranty nowadays, and there is a reason to that.

Conclusion: yes, Apple monitors are more expensive than Dell's, esp. including Apple Care; now, it's your choice to settle for one or the other model.