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Do I need AppleCare+ for Ultra? How about you?

K

Kottu

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 21, 2014
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In Sweden, AppleCare+ costs around $120 which is gonna give me 2 years protection and if the watch got damaged (not by making YouTube videos) I can get a replacement (probably) for about $68. Battery change costs nothing (Without AC+ costs $140).
My question is do I really need it? How about you? I bought AC+ for my iPhone 12PM but never had to use it. A watch has less possibility to get damaged. My current home insurance has a deductible around $150 I guess. Damn I didn't keep my insurance from the previous agency where the cost was around $25.
 
I'm debating about it. I've had 3 apple watches and never had to use the apple care. Its not an insignificant cost. The value of the watches depreciate so much, and repair/replacement charges even with the applecare are high as compared to the phones, that its almost not worth it. It's still good peace of mind though yes.
 
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It’s always cheaper to self-insure … provided you can afford to pay the loss.

If you trust the insurance to pay when you need it, and if you can afford to pay the insurance, it always gives more peace of mind.

For me, the peace of mind is worth more than the money. I have AppleCare+ on monthly auto-renew for my Ultra. When I bought my first-generation M1 MacBook Air, I also got AppleCare+; that coverage is still good for a year. (I should see if I can switch that to continuing … )

From here on, I don’t plan to buy anything with an Apple logo unless I also have AppleCare+ for it.

b&
 
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My son's iPhone 12 got damaged last year and it cost me only $25 to get a new one as the insurance covered rest of the $575 for the replacement device as the damage was beyond repair. Too bad that I didn't keep the same company. To know that you have a good insurance to back up when you need is really a peace of mind. In my job risks are less to get the watch damaged and I never had AC+ for my watches before. Ultra is the most expensive watch I ever bought. Today I got screen protector and a case from Spigen for it.
 
No insurance will ever return the price of it's cost in repairs based on expected return. They wouldn't sell it if it did because they'd lose money on every sale.
 
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DontGetTheCheese said:
No insurance will ever return the price of it's cost in repairs based on expected return. They wouldn't sell it if it did because they'd lose money on every sale.
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I know. But not all clients are claiming every year so, they don't lose money. Having insured at my old insurance company had been a good deal. When I was using Samsung, I claimed 2 times within 4 years. In Sweden when you send your phone to Samsung's repair centre for damaged display, they do change the battery and backside as well. My insurance covered the cost and it cost me only $25 per device.
 
Not much to add here that hasn't already been said.. but peace of mind is what's in play. In my experience, I've never gotten AppleCare on watches in the past, now due to the flat bezel and highly scratchable, ding-able edge... I did get AC for the first time on the Ultra.
 
I just picked my watch up two hours ago and got the AC+. I think I have used it on two watches in the past and my iPad Pro.
 
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You could do the $5 month to month and just stop after 12 -18 months. The replacement/repair cost drops off significantly after 12 months when newer versions come out.
 
Yeah, it’s cheaper in the long run to self-insure but AC+ cost is a known entity and easy to budget. I like AC+ in case of damage, and because (in USA) it offers Express Replacement where Apple ships out a new watch prior to me having to send the old one in. There’s no Apple Retail Store near me, so Express Replacement is definitely a good thing for me to have.

The only device I haven’t bought AC+ on in recent memory, was my wife’s Apple Watch SE purchased in 2021. Sure enough, 15 months later it quit starting up - sent it in for a “software reinstall” and was told it’d be $169 repair. I just bought her a new SE2 instead, with AC+.
 
Count me among the launch day owners pondering the pending deadline. I’m not concerned about accidental damage, only a non-battery mechanical failure after the 12 month warranty.

For me, $5 monthly for extended AppleCare would be a source of irritation that would negatively impact my enjoyment (unless I had a claim, of course), so I’d be in the $99 2-year camp. But since for me the watch is not essential, I’m weighing only enjoying one year of guaranteed service—assuming something failed out of warranty that was prohibitively expensive to repair—against two years of guaranteed service. Unlike my iPhone, I could go without a watch until I felt like I could justify buying a new watch, so I’m sort of “doing the math” for a few scenarios and trying to imagine how the future me would react to the outcome.
 
I have great peace of mind when I think of all the money I have saved over the years (approaching $2000) by not getting AC+. The only times I have bought AC+ I have regretted it. At least, so far!
 
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cardfan said:
Peace of mind of wasting money.
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Wasting money? How so?
cardfan said:
Peace of mind of wasting money.
Click to expand...
How so?
I bought 5 tvs this year, Costco was $2400 cheaper that including 5 year warranties on each of the tvs. also got back 4% on my purchases.
Cost $400 dollars to have the 85” hung and the other 4 mounts put up but they hung the tvs as well.
After purchasing 2 iPhone 14pros and 2 iPhone 13 an ultra and a series 8 Nike. I am still $125 less than if I purchased from Bestbuy.
Don’t get me wrong total tech looks great if you’re will to essentially pay full retail price
 
bruinsrme said:
Wasting money? How so?
How so?
I bought 5 tvs this year, Costco was $2400 cheaper that including 5 year warranties on each of the tvs. also got back 4% on my purchases.
Cost $400 dollars to have the 85” hung and the other 4 mounts put up but they hung the tvs as well.
After purchasing 2 iPhone 14pros and 2 iPhone 13 an ultra and a series 8 Nike. I am still $125 less than if I purchased from Bestbuy.
Don’t get me wrong total tech looks great if you’re will to essentially pay full retail price
Click to expand...

Depends what you buy. For example. I just bought a LG C2 OLED 77 from Best Buy for 2400. Costco was 2499. Sonos Arc sound bar from Best Buy was 719.99 for total tech members. Costco is 849 currently. Just gotta shop around and compare prices. Costco isn’t always cheaper. And with total tech each thing is covered for 2 years. It all depends.
 
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wilberforce said:
I have great peace of mind when I think of all the money I have saved over the years (approaching $2000) by not getting AC+. The only times I have bought AC+ I have regretted it. At least, so far!
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I have had a iMac screen replaced twice in my home for pink tinge, tech had to drive 4 hours. Was worth it then lol
 
areyes163 said:
Depends what you buy. For example. I just bought a LG C2 OLED 77 from Best Buy for 2400. Costco was 2499. Sonos Arc sound bar from Best Buy was 719.99 for total tech members. Costco is 849 currently. Just gotta shop around and compare prices. Costco isn’t always cheaper. And with total tech each thing is covered for 2 years. It all depends.
Click to expand...
Costco includes and has nearly always included the extended 5 yr warranty with their OLED which is not a prorated replacement. If you use their Citi card you also get 4% back, along with credit card protection.

Also, Costco throws them on sale approximately every 3 months for 20% off, like now.
 
I am aware. I have a Costco Citi card as well. But their warranty with the card is ending in January 2023. And that is the sale rice for the OLED. Like I said. It all depends.
 
ebika said:
I don’t always get AC, but I did for the Ultra because I’m going to use it in the water often.
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I can agree if you use it in the water so often. Without AC+ Apple will spend 10K on lawyer just to make sure to prove that " you wore it wrong in water". I took a shower with Samsung watch I had once. It was enough for it to die. Guarantee period was over but I called Samsung and pointed out that they write in their website that it can be used for swimming. As in EU you have right to claim manufacturing defects for three years, they took my watch back and paid me full amount.
I don't think that Apple can be generous like Samsung. I didn't take AC+ for my AW6. I hoped that the my battery in 12PM would go down to 80% so that it can be replaced under AC+. But it is still at 91% for the last 12 months! I have few more weeks to think about get AC+ or not..
 
I have AC+ for my Ultra. £4.99 p/m. I had it for my S7 and had it replaced, and a new one shipped the next day. I find it's worth it for the peace of mind. I got it from John Lewis (UK) and they offer a 2 year guarantee as standard, but it doesn't cover accidental damage like AC+ does.
 
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