AppleCare+ to End Informal Free Replacement Policy for Damaged iPhones

[kas23]

I was led to believe that Apple products do not break, thus purchasing any form of AppleCare is unnecessary. Was I misinformed?

No, the products don't break. AppleCare gives the typical Apple customer the ability to continuously return their product for such negligible flaws such as a scant light bleed, slightly off bezel, a dead pixel, or an impossible-to-see yellow tint to their screen.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I don't know if AppleCare+ is really worth it. It may be better to just role the dice. If, by chance, you damage your device, you'll have to pay $199 instead to $148, but you are not just giving $99 away outright. So, for most people, they will save $99 by bot getting AppleCare+.

You're focusing only on the "+" part. AppleCare+ also includes AppleCare, which gives you 21 months' additional tech support free, and one additional year on the warranty.

 

[tigerinroc]

Below is a chat I had with an Apple Expert. Basically, if you preordered an iphone 4s at a store other than Apple.com, you have a year to purchase AppleCare+.


You are chatting with Darilyn S, an Apple Expert
Hi, my name is Darilyn S. Welcome to Apple!
Hi
Hello! Welcome to Apple chat and how may I help you today?
I have a question about AppleCare+ for iPhone 4S
The website of the product says "AppleCare+ must be purchased together with your new iPhone. To buy it, add it to your shopping cart during the checkout process when you purchase your new iPhone."
Okay.
However, I pre-ordered my phone via AT&T and they didn't offer AppleCare+
Alright.
First congratulations on your preorder.
So, after I get the phone and activate it, can I purchase the product at an Apple store?
That is correct.
What you will do is bring it to your local Apple store.
They will then be able to add AppleCare.
How long after the activation of phone that I can still purchase the AppleCare +
?
You will have upto a year from the date of purchase.
So, if someone purchases a phone with apple.com they have to purchase the applecare immediately, but he/she do so with at&t, they have a year to purchase applecare+?
If they do purchase online through Apple.com, they would need to bring it instore to add AppleCare as well.
The same would apply for them.
They still have a year.
But the language of the Applecare+ seems to give a conflict. "AppleCare+ must be purchased together with your new iPhone."
Right. But for some customers, that option wasn't present when they preordered.
So there is the option of coming instore.
ok. and the option of coming instore gives a leisure of up to one year.
That is correct.
I just want to make sure so that I wouldn't run into a problem when I purchase the applecare+ one year from now.
Thanks for your help.
Is there an option to email this convo. to my email?
Now when it comes to purchasing AppleCare+, it's recommended to purchase when you get the iPhone.
You then will be covered completely for the two years.
I understand that. Like i said at the beginning, AT&T website does not offer AppleCare+
Right.
Definitely come into the Apple store to add AppleCare+.
Now we aren't able to email the conversation. What you can do is copy and paste this conversation.
I got that too. And I would have a year to add AppleCare+ at an Apple Store
That is correct.
Great!
Thank you.
My pleasure!
It was nice working with you today.
You have a good one

 

[Andronicus]

Curious. Did your refurb come in a brand new box as if it has never been opened before?

My iPhone 4 that I bought off craigslist the sleep/lock button stopped working and I took it to an apple store and they replaced it with a refurbished phone, but it looked brand new. But just gave me the phone with no box, no charger, headphones, etc...

 

[sweetbrat]

Get Squaretrade warranty instead, cheaper, and it covers drops and spills too

Applecare+ covers drops and spills, and it doesn't have the lowering coverage that Squaretrade does. With Squaretrade, your total repairs can't exceed the cost of the device. So your phone is worth $699, and you need a $300 repair. That leaves you with $399 worth of coverage. Once you hit $699, you no longer have any coverage.

 

[mthanded]

Why this change? Is there rampant "abuse" with Apple losing suffering financially or is this just out of the blue? Doesn't seem positive in the least. I've always thought AppleCare was a rip off. This takes the cake.

The iphone user base is about to increase drastically. Do you really think its financially sound to give complimentary phone fixes? I don't think applecare+ is a bad deal. Maybe I am in the minority. Also, it will really help with the resale value.

 

[sweetbrat]

I was led to believe that Apple products do not break, thus purchasing any form of AppleCare is unnecessary. Was I misinformed?

You are kidding, right? About Apple products never breaking, I mean...

 

[DirtySocks85]

Fine by me, as long as they don't do away with the $199 out of warranty replacement program. I was concerned that AppleCare+ would be the end of that.

 

[cfedu]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

Thinking more about this, the more I like it.

I have an otterbox defender case that I hate. Every time I use a friends iPhone I get jealous. No more need for a big indestructible case for me.

I can use the money for the otterbox as a downpayment on the AppleCare +.

 

[foodog]

Below is a chat I had with an Apple Expert. Basically, if you preordered an iphone 4s at a store other than Apple.com, you have a year to purchase AppleCare+.

SO really nothing has changed as far as time frame to buy. I think the "bring it into the store" part is so they can make sure it is functioning prior to you buying the warranty.

 

[citi]

I've ordered two new iphone 4s's with apple care +. Its cheaper than the carriers insurance.

Bingo! This ^

 

[gnasher729]

Where do you live? Or maybe you're not telling? Can you see Russia fro your house?

He can see America.

 

[drummingcraig]

So let me see if I have this right...

-Applecare+ costs $99
-Replacements still cost $49 under the plan (up to two incidents)

So if I had this plan and drop my phone in a puddle, I will have effectively paid $149 for the replacement. Whereas without the program I would pay $199 for the replacement.

I fail to see the attraction to this plan unless you are a total klutz. I would much rather hold on to the $99 and roll the dice on having to spend another $99 if I break it. I'm not even going to consider breaking it a second time because I tend to take good care of my stuff.

Also worth nothing that many items on the iPhone can be repaired/replaced by third party repair shops for much less than what Apple charges. Just seems like a really crappy plan to me.

 

[Stridder44]

Hmm so they are making it more expensive to get your phone fixed at apple? Does apple like ruining their image? One of the only reasons to buy apple products is there customer service. I will not buy apple products if they become just like dell .

Yeah everyone here seems to be running to Apple's defense, but from what I can see there is nothing good about this article (unless I missed something?). If anything this is going to ruin their amazing customer service. They're pulling a cheap trick by really putting you on the spot to buy AppleCare. It sounds like if you don't buy it initially when purchasing the phone, you're SOL. I would expect this crap from other companies, but not Apple. I mean honestly, it's not like they need the extra money.


EDIT:

Below is a chat I had with an Apple Expert. Basically, if you preordered an iphone 4s at a store other than Apple.com, you have a year to purchase AppleCare+.

Okay, that is very good to know. I have to wonder if that includes inside the Apple retail store itself.

 

[Scott6666]

Below is a chat I had with an Apple Expert. Basically, if you preordered an iphone 4s at a store other than Apple.com, you have a year to purchase AppleCare+.


You are chatting with Darilyn S, an Apple Expert
Hi, my name is Darilyn S. Welcome to Apple!
Hi
Hello! Welcome to Apple chat and how may I help you today?
I have a question about AppleCare+ for iPhone 4S
The website of the product says "AppleCare+ must be purchased together with your new iPhone. To buy it, add it to your shopping cart during the checkout process when you purchase your new iPhone."
Okay.
However, I pre-ordered my phone via AT&T and they didn't offer AppleCare+
Alright.
First congratulations on your preorder.
So, after I get the phone and activate it, can I purchase the product at an Apple store?
That is correct.
What you will do is bring it to your local Apple store.
They will then be able to add AppleCare.
How long after the activation of phone that I can still purchase the AppleCare +
?
You will have upto a year from the date of purchase.
So, if someone purchases a phone with apple.com they have to purchase the applecare immediately, but he/she do so with at&t, they have a year to purchase applecare+?
If they do purchase online through Apple.com, they would need to bring it instore to add AppleCare as well.
The same would apply for them.
They still have a year.
But the language of the Applecare+ seems to give a conflict. "AppleCare+ must be purchased together with your new iPhone."
Right. But for some customers, that option wasn't present when they preordered.
So there is the option of coming instore.
ok. and the option of coming instore gives a leisure of up to one year.
That is correct.
I just want to make sure so that I wouldn't run into a problem when I purchase the applecare+ one year from now.
Thanks for your help.
Is there an option to email this convo. to my email?
Now when it comes to purchasing AppleCare+, it's recommended to purchase when you get the iPhone.
You then will be covered completely for the two years.
I understand that. Like i said at the beginning, AT&T website does not offer AppleCare+
Right.
Definitely come into the Apple store to add AppleCare+.
Now we aren't able to email the conversation. What you can do is copy and paste this conversation.
I got that too. And I would have a year to add AppleCare+ at an Apple Store
That is correct.
Great!
Thank you.
My pleasure!
It was nice working with you today.
You have a good one

I tried the chat and several times halfway through I clicked the button which I am used to being a POST button but it's a CLOSE SESSION button. After accidentally disconnecting twice, I gave up.

 

[tripleg]

on 4 mac pros, and 4 mac book pros, 3 iphones, 6 apple cinema dispalys. and two ipads.

3 mac pros had problems whcih exceeded teh cost of apple care. one of them had problems 3 different times.

1 ipad1 replaced because of dead pixels. and then replaced again because of light leakage.

2 apple cinema displays eventually started flickering and were replaced by apple care.

3 macbook pros were all repaired by apple care. one had the entire screen housing replaced because the isight didn't work, the logic board and optical drive replaced.

Given that track record wouldn't you begin to worry about the reliability of Apple products in general?

 

[odedia]

Let me get this straight:

If I have AppleCare+ it will cost me a total of 150$ to fix an iPhone the first time.

If I don't have AppleCare+, it'll cost me 200$ to fix an iPhone for the first time (or maybe I'll get lucky and not pay at all).

So... I'm paying 3/4 of the price in advance for something that I'll probably not need in the first place? I'd gladly pay the full amount if I broke my phone. Why pay upfront? If it was 50$, I'd do it, but paying almost the same amount for in advance makes no sense to me.

 

[staceyeileen]

As far as the out-of-warranty service pricing, I'm not sure if anyone has noticed this but Apple dropped the price to $150 for all iPhones other than the 4S. Just this week I got an iPhone 4 replacement for $150. Also, based on the serial number of the replacement it appears that I got a new device, not a refurb.

I never realized that getting a free replacement for the phone that I damaged was an option. Since AT&T basically told me I had no other option than to pay $400 and agree to a new 2yr contract, I was pretty ecstatic at only paying the $150 to Apple. (I can only imagine how many people AT&T has scammed this way...)

 

[citi]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

Thinking more about this, the more I like it.

I have an otterbox defender case that I hate. Every time I use a friends iPhone I get jealous. No more need for a big indestructible case for me.

I can use the money for the otterbox as a downpayment on the AppleCare +.

Yes, but now you are more likely to damamge your phone and have to spend to get it replaced. You know the kind of person you are. If you are clumsy, you should have a case. The iphone is very slippery with glass on both sides, and a little "sharp". I prefer it with a case on.

Insurance is a just in case and just because you have car insurance doesn't mean you should drive your car with your feet while eating a cheeseburger.

 

[odedia]

Given that track record wouldn't you begin to worry about the reliability of Apple products in general?

Exactly. I had 3 brand-new Macbook Pros replaced until I got one that works fine. Thank god for the amazing customer support of Amazon.

 

[Taz Mangus]

It was not even an option online to purchase for me via the iphone app.

Then I got an email a couple of days later stating that I was not offered the Applecare:

"Dear Apple Customer,

Thank you for your recent iPhone purchase at the Apple Online Store.

We would like to let you know that every iPhone comes with one year of
hardware repair coverage through its limited warranty and up to
90 days of complimentary support. AppleCare+ for iPhone extends your
coverage to two years from the original purchase date of your iPhone
and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each
subject to a $49 service fee.

We noticed you weren’t given the opportunity to add AppleCare+ to your
iPhone. If you would like to extend your coverage for only $99, please
reply to this email.

Thank you for shopping with Apple.

Sincerely,
Apple Online Store Team "

So- how do you interpret this, I did not reply thinking I had a year.

I know what the article says but I spoke with a Apple rep on the phone and was told take the unopened iPhone to the Apple store to purchase the AppleCare+. This is what I plan on doing.

 

[jason2811]

Does the $199 out-of-warranty replacement still exist?

Also, does anyone know how much the Assurion insurance is per month for iPhones on Verizon?

 

[iMrNiceGuy0023]

The 1 year warranty is still in place tho right? Like if my headphone jack stops working, I will still get a replacement under the 1 year warranty right?

AppleCare is just for extended coverage and accidental issues?

 

[2IS]

Being helpful and providing great customer service is one thing, replacing something the customer damage is another.

Not really. Letting you pay money for a warranty adding a fee when you need to use and having a "no exceptions" policy it isn't great customer service. It's selling a product and maximizing profits at the expense of great customer service.

Great customer service is going above and beyond what the average company will do. Eliminating that turns great customer service into average customer service.

 

[bailorg]

One Apple retail store source has contacted us to explain in more detail how the new AppleCare+ program will also change the way the Genius Bar handles damaged devices.


Article Link: AppleCare+ to End Informal Free Replacement Policy for Damaged iPhones

So this whole kerfuffle is based on the interpretation of one anonymous "retail store source"?

That doesn't even imply manager or above.

This doesn't exactly inspire me with a whole ton of confidence that the interpretation is correct.