AppleCare: licence to print money?

[profmjh]

I've been buying Apple products for two decades and I don't think I'd ever even heard of AppleCare until I started reading the AppleWatch forums.

There was a lot of adverse publicity in the UK a few years ago about extended warranties and the huge profits made by the companies who offer them.

There seems to be a lot of paranoia on these forums about damaging the watch. Do people worry in this way about everything the buy? Do people who buy non-Apple watches buy insurance products for them (other than for theft)?

At one point I was thinking of buying an SS Link and did consider AC+ as it's such an expensive watch. Yet, when I bought a "normal" watch that cost twice as much a few years ago it never occurred to me to buy insurance for it.

 

[exxxviii]

I've been buying Apple products for two decades and I don't think I'd ever even heard of AppleCare until I started reading the AppleWatch forums.

There was a lot of adverse publicity in the UK a few years ago about extended warranties and the huge profits made by the companies who offer them.

There seems to be a lot of paranoia on these forums about damaging the watch. Do people worry in this way about everything the buy? Do people who buy non-Apple watches buy insurance products for them (other than for theft)?

At one point I was thinking of buying an SS Link and did consider AC+ as it's such an expensive watch. Yet, when I bought a "normal" watch that cost twice as much a few years ago it never occurred to me to buy insurance for it.

My dad bought apple care for his sport. I do not plan on buying it for mine. I thought about my entire life's history of expensive gadget ownership, and an AppleCare-type product would only have benefited me like once or twice ever-- so, I would have been out thousands of dollars had I bought AC or something similar for every device. I choose to self-insure.

My only exception is an Apple desktop or laptop computer that I plan to keep for three years. For those, repairs are so prohibitively expensive that AC makes sense. Then, sell it after the AC warranty runs out.

 

[erich1188]

This is an interesting question. I have purchased AppleCare because it's saved my @#$ recently with a shattered iPhone screen. The convenience of going online, saying I broke it, and having them overnight a replacement is nice. I've dealt with third party insurance providers for old phones, and it was horrendous..

I also get renters insurance with special coverage on my iMac and laptop incase of power surge.

Yes, I'm spending money that I may not ever really get a return on, but I like knowing I'm covered..

Just how I see it I suppose. Convince me that I'm throwing money down the toilet, and I'm all ears! Just how I've done things since I've been an Apple customer.

 

[tl01]

To each his or her own. Apple Care has been very good to me and I usually get it for all my devices. It has totally been worth the investment. I know I am a busy person who will likely knock my watch into a wall or something else so it makes me feel better when wearing my watch.

 

[Newtons Apple]

Never purchased AC+ until I got my watch. To me it is in high risk of damage as a wearable. Never purchased it for any of my iPhones, laptops, or desktops and never needed it or regretted not purchasing.

Still think for the watch it is a good idea but only time will tell.

 

[wanderfowl]

I always tell first-time Apple buyers to always buy AppleCare, because if you don't, Apple doesn't.

 

[AZhappyjack]

I don't buy any extend warranties on any thing - except my iPhones. I've had several occasions to use it, and will continue to buy it for the iPhone. I did not get it on my Watch, and don't even consider it on any of my Macs.

 

[srshaw]

As I understand applecare plus also includes accidental damage, which goes beyond most warranties. I insure my phone because it is likely to get lost/broken. I'm in two minds though about the watch. I did by apple care for my mac though as my first one was faulty, although replaced under warranty, I wasn't confident about Apple's reliabilty. l as it happens I have had no issue with it.

 

[iBlazed]

Peace of mind. And knowing that if my Sport gets too scratched up over the next two years I can just have it replaced whenever I want for $69. For $50, AppleCare+ on my Sport is worth it to me.

 

[friedmud]

I used to never buy extended warranties on electronics... until I broke my iPhone and didn't have Applecare+ on it. Then it was a major pain in my ass.

Now I buy it for anything I carry with me: iPhone, iPad, Laptop and now Watch.

It gives me a little more confidence to fully use the devices without worrying about breaking them. Even if I never "need" it... the peace of mind it brings to have extra insurance on it is worth it.

Anything that stays put in the house I don't put Applecare on.

Just my $0.02.

 

[MyAppleWorld]

I don't understand why people don't just claim on home insurance? Add all your devices on for loss/accidental damage and pay fraction of the cost.

 

[bniu]

I don't understand why people don't just claim on home insurance? Add all your devices on for loss/accidental damage and pay fraction of the cost.

Cuz it's a pain in the a** to deal with that. Applecare+ is nice and easy to deal with. For me, not having to think about what if I damage this or this is worth it to me. It lets me focus on other things...

 

[fischersd]

I don't understand why people don't just claim on home insurance? Add all your devices on for loss/accidental damage and pay fraction of the cost.

Your home policies really aren't designed for that. It's highly probable that you'll spend a lot more trying to turn them into something like this than separate coverage would cost you. Deductibles on most home policies are usually anywhere from $500-$2000, as they'll really protecting you against the big things (fire, flooding, lightning strike, home burglary).

 

[destroyboredom]

Discussions of AppleCare preferences aside I'm amazed that OP hadn't heard of it until now. It's literally listed as an add on option for all of their products. I guess things could differ in the UK in how Apple can promote it.

 

[tl01]

I don't understand why people don't just claim on home insurance? Add all your devices on for loss/accidental damage and pay fraction of the cost.

Because they can deny you renewal in the future or raise your rates. I don't want to have to tell an insurance company I made a claim unless it was worth it. It's worth it to me to just get Apple Care.

 

[M.Rizk]

I only buy Apple Care+ for my iPhones, and will get it for my Watch too. I only buy it for devices that I think might get easily broken, or damaged.

I never bought Apple Care+ for my iPads, or MacBook Pros.

I do have a story with Apple limited warranty though. I live in the Middle East, I got my MacBook Pro from a local authorized Apple dealer in Qatar. Just about 8 months later I broke a key on my Mac keyboard. I called the local dealer and they instantly said this was not covered by the limited warranty and I would have to pay about $360 for a repair.

Lucky me I was traveling to San Francisco a week later for a short holiday, so I booked a genius bar appointment and visited the Apple Store as soon as I checked in my hotel room. Apple Store asked me why I did not try repairing it in Qatar and I told them the full story.

The Apple genius took a look at the MacBook Pro. He had a few key replacements, including ones with Arabic (mine is Arabic / English keyboard). He tried to install it but it did not fit as I had a different model. He checked the serial number and found out I am still covered by the limited warranty.

He offered me two options, either wait 4 weeks and they import an arabic keyboard for me, or they change the entire metallic part where the keyboard is installed with another one from the US model with an English only keyboard in just about 3 days. I told him change it all then because I only have 5 days.

He instantly placed my repair order and the total I had to pay was ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, although the device wasn't even bought in the states.

Here is one of the reasons I covered my iPhone 6 Plus with a US Apple Care Plus. My iPhone 6 Plus is a Middle Eastern iPhone which only offers FaceTime and FaceTime Audio in the Middle Eastern countries where allowed, including Qatar. I have some plans that I might continue my college studies in the US in the future, so decided to get an Apple Care Plus so that as soon as I land in the US I ask for a replacement and get a US iPhone that offers FaceTime on local carriers.

 

[dhlizard]

Never purchased AC+ until I got my watch. To me it is in high risk of damage as a wearable. Never purchased it for any of my iPhones, laptops, or desktops and never needed it or regretted not purchasing.

This ^^^

Have never purchased AppleCare for any of my numerous Apple products and have never regretted not buying it.

But IMHO these Apple Watch's we bought are prime for damage/malfunction beyond the included 1 year coverage time.

 

[Banich2]

Based on my purchase of Apple Care + in conjunction with iPhones, I'd say that Apple has lost a lot of money with me. Moreover, if you're friendly, they'll repair/replace the item for free. I've gone through close to 20 iPhones in 6 years and this is generally what happens at the Genius Bar:

I've only had to pay the deductible twice, and that's because the Genius was being a dick.

 

[Gmouse]

Bought a Late 2013 27" iMac, and 2 days later was moving it and I ran it into a shelf and cracked the glass (glued to the display panel, now) screen--typically $700-800. Took to Apple store, and...I paid 0. I'll always by AppleCare from now on...

 

[M.Rizk]

Here is my Mac repair receipt too. And as Banich2 said, you just need to be friendly and they will do everything for you.

Note: My Mac did not even have Apple Care Plus, and not bought from the states.

 

[J.C]

AppleCare: licence to print money?

In my experience Apple customer service is already amazing and they *always* replace or repair for free within 2 years of purchase. Add AppleCare Plus and they treat me like royalty. They offer a free replacement if I say the device looked at me funny! I also like knowing I can stop babying my gear and if it breaks I'm fine. I went mountain biking in my Apple Watch Sport yesterday and it came home covered in mud and survived several crashes. I love not having to worry about that. Home contents insurance would cost me more than the cost of the watch to claim on, and affect my rating. Well worth the peace of mind. That said, I don't take my Mac Pro or MacBooks outside the house and don't get AppleCare on those. Just the Watch and iPhones.

 

[Kahalu'u Bob]

I understand the question; I never buy extended warranties EXCEPT for AppleCare. I have had the keyboard on a MacBook Pro replaced in the third year, the video card in an iMac, and an iPhone replaced two months AFTER AppleCare+ had expired (as a courtesy, since it had been replaced once for the same problem while within the AppleCare+ timeframe). It is not expensive and has been a real benefit for me.

And I have not seen anyone mention the benefits of the extended telephone support. I often find the answers to my questions here on MacRumors, but when you need Apple telephone support, it is great to still have it under AppleCare+.

To each his own, but I have found it worth the modest additional expense. I got it for my Watch.

 

[nasa25]

I purchased apple care + for my MBP just because I knew I'd be keeping it for multiple years. Also purchased it for the watch because I'm using it during sports which increases the risk of it being damaged. Other than that, never purchased it for any of my other idevices.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

Never purchased AC+ until I got my watch. To me it is in high risk of damage as a wearable. Never purchased it for any of my iPhones, laptops, or desktops and never needed it or regretted not purchasing.

Still think for the watch it is a good idea but only time will tell.

This ^^^

Have never purchased AppleCare for any of my numerous Apple products and have never regretted not buying it.

But IMHO these Apple Watch's we bought are prime for damage/malfunction beyond the included 1 year coverage time.

I don't get this. It's tethered to the wrist so where's the risk of dropping it like a naked iPhone and shattering the screen? It's IPX7 water resistant (to 1 meter for 30 min) so there's no chance of the usual "accidental" water damage. And why would it be more likely to malfunction beyond the 1 year warranty than other Apple products?

 

[KojiH]

In general I don't believe in extended warranties either. However apple care plus is kind of like an extended warranty plus accidental damage insurance in my mind. I purchase it on my phones for the accidental damage coverage. I carry the phones around with me all day and they go in and out of my pocket multiple times with a risk of dropping. However I did not purchase it on any of my iPads or iMacs because they stay at home and are less likely to be damaged. I'll probably get it on my Watch based on the damage threads I've seen here even though I've never bought one for any of my traditional watches.