AppleCare worth it?

[KUguardgrl13]

For me personally, not yet with my iPhone 5. I had my home button fixed and a lightening cable replaced both in the first year. It does give me peace of mind, however, and I will definitely get it again if I get the 6. My boyfriend was able to get a new (refurb) iPhone 5 for $49 (old price for older customers) after he dropped it and shattered the screen (Genius thought it was too far gone to replace the screen). It was also extremely helpful with my MacBook Pro after it developed issues in the second year. They continued to repair it for free even after AC expired because it was the same issue over and over. I also have it on my new rMBP but haven't used it yet. I don't have it in my iPad Mini (bought used), and didn't get it on either of my iPods. I'll probably stick to AC+ for iPhone and regular AC for Mac.

Some people recommend the insurance route, but I feel like Asurion and the carriers make even more of a profit than Apple does. I'd also rather have my existing device repaired if possible rather than replaced with a device bit from Apple. I had Asurion on my smartphone before my iPhone and never used it.

 

[miamialley]

People saying that it can't be a good deal because Apple wouldn't offer something unprofitable to them...

Apple replacing your phone with what is usually a refurbished model costs them way less than you going out and spending $800-$1000 to replace your phone. The same goes for service, cracked screens, etc.

Yes, Applecare is profitable for them because they already have these service people working and refurbished phones ready to go, but that doesn't mean that it can't also be a good deal for the consumer.

Some of you guys really don't get it. You can go to Vegas and win big. It CAN be a great way to make money. For most people, they lose. Had I gotten insurance for all of my phones, I'd only have given away money because I would have made no claims.

Nobody is saying it costs Apple $1000 to replace a phone. Whatever it costs them, they are making money on Applecare. The less they spend on repairing phones, the more $$ they keep from your premium and replacement fee.

Some of you are the same guys who buy insurance on your $50 landline phone at Best Buy.

If you treat your phone the way a 14 year old girl does, you may come out better with insurance. If you are careful, you will come out better in the long run dealing with breakages as they happen/IF they happen. Even if I cracked every phone screen I have at least once, I would come out even getting it repaired independently, compared to the cost of Applecare and replacement fee.

 

[drober30]

Do you use them as dog leashes?

I've only had one lightning cable out of probably two dozen fail on me, and that's because it got sucked up in a vacuum.

No but my product testers are my nine and fourteen year old daughters. I think that should add some clarity!

Seriously, the cables seem to fail because they are used in the car while connected to the phones or iPod. The end could be better reinforced. If I just plug it in and leave it on a table, then there are no issues.

 

[dmaxdmax]

$99 is cheap enough that I won't notice it when paying the Amex bill. $800 would hurt. For me it isn't a purely rational decision, it's a minimization of pain issue.

That said, if I sign up for Edge I'll probably get Square Trade since it's $5/month and I probably won't keep it for 20 months.

 

[snakesayan]

Any type of warrenty is a scam to squeeze more
Money out of you. I've never gotten Apple care and my iPhones have been resold to buy the upcoming iphone. All you have to do is take care of your phone and buy a case. AppleCare is for people who are accident prone and don't take care of their phones. Just my theory. You got to be smart about your money and your phone

 

[cynics]

Do you use them as dog leashes?



I've only had one lightning cable out of probably two dozen fail on me, and that's because it got sucked up in a vacuum.

If YOU have 2 dozen of course you will have minimal failures each will see a lot less usage compared to someone that has one and uses it multiple devices.

I'm the same way I have 4 cords (30 pin) I use throughout the week.

 

[thekb]

You probably bought the AppleCare Protection Plan (APP), which is no longer available. That is the only way you could have gotten "AppleCare" that late after your purchase date. People sometimes confuse the APP with AppleCare+, which is understandable, but the former has been phased out, and now only AppleCare+ is available.

When APP was available, you could purchase it anytime during your 1-year hardware warranty. It was $69. It extended your 1-year hardware warranty out to 2 years and also extended your phone (and now chat) support out to 2 years as well. However, it did not come with the two incidents of coverage of accidental damage.

Also, to the people asking: you can now purchase AppleCare+ from chat support as well as phone support, up to 60 days from your purchase date. A diagnostic needs to be run first.

(Source: I work for AppleCare. I'd be happy to provide any clarification on what APP vs AC+ is, what AC+ gets you, etc. Obviously can't disclose any internal processes or anything like that, but I really believe in AppleCare+ as a product, so I'd like to clear some air about it.)

As for OP's question: I purchase AppleCare+ on all of my iPhones. Much cheaper than carrier insurance (10 per month + 200 deductible, yeesh), although to be fair, some carrier insurances cover lost/stolen devices, which AppleCare+ does not. I buy each new iPhone model yearly at retail price, so being able to advertise to buyers (usually family members) that the iPhone I am selling them comes with a year of AppleCare+ with both accidental damage incidents in-tact helps me recoup some of the expense of upgrading as often.

That makes sense, April. Thanks for the straight scoop.