It’s insurance.
Just as a casino always wins in the long run (barring incompetence, of course), it’s always cheaper in the long run for those who can afford to self-insure to do so.
So why is insurance a thriving industry? First, it’s essential for the overwhelming majority who can’t afford to self-insure; second, because many insurance policies provide much-appreciated services.
For example, your car insurance might provide “free” roadside assistance (meaning you don’t have to scramble to figure out which local tow companies are good choices when you’re stuck by the side of the road in a strange city); your home insurance might provide “free” locksmith services when you lock yourself out of the house; and, in Apple’s case, even if you do something stupid like drop the phone off the top of the Empire State Building while you’re trying to get that perfect shot, there’ll be an affordable replacement for you just over a mile up Fifth Avenue.
It’s that last bit that’s convincing for me. There’re all sorts of ways that bad things can happen to a phone that a case and screen protector won’t do you any good, but that AppleCare+ will.
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