Is AppleCare worth it for the watch?

[SDColorado]

AppleCare for the AW. $49 for two years protection. About $2.00 a month. One less coffee at Starbuck. You could probably find $2 a month in your couch cushions and car seats. Just do it.

I had the screen replaced twice on my 13" MBP under AppleCare. Had my phone replaced last week after it took it and I took a tumble on the ice.

It always seems expensive, until you need it.

 

[PieTunes]

Whether or not AppleCare is "worth it" is all relative. It's like any other insurance, like for home, auto, etc. How much do you think 49 bucks for peace of mind would be worth it to you personally? Without AppleCare if something happens and you have to pay for a repair or replacement can you do so comfortably?

My first Apple Watch Sport needed to be replaced twice because the numbers on the back were etching off both times (I guess from working out a lot my sweat is caustic or something) and the rubber gasket o-ring thing inside the Digital Crown came out the second time. Both instances I walked into the Apple Store, they boxed it up to send to Depot, a few days later a new replacement watch was mailed back.

Peace of mind and convenience in this case was worth the 49 bucks to me.

 

[44267547]

Whether or not AppleCare is "worth it" is all relative. It's like any other insurance, like for home, auto, etc. How much do you think 49 bucks for peace of mind would be worth it to you personally? Without AppleCare if something happens and you have to pay for a repair or replacement can you do so comfortably?

My first Apple Watch Sport needed to be replaced twice because the numbers on the back were etching off both times (I guess from working out a lot my sweat is caustic or something) and the rubber gasket o-ring thing inside the Digital Crown came out the second time. Both instances I walked into the Apple Store, they boxed it up to send to Depot, a few days later a new replacement watch was mailed back.

Peace of mind and convenience in this case was worth the 49 bucks to me.

I Typically don't purchase Apple Care for any of my products, being how well I handle them and have not had any unfortunate accidents.

AppleCare for the Apple Watch is the one device I would purchase ApplecCare for. Not just because of defects from The watch itself, more so, the susceptible damage or any watch can take on a daily basis when we least expect it. Being that our hands are constantly moving and we tend to hit things by accident, A watch is one of the first things that's going to suffer damage. So I would agree with you that AppleCare would be necessary for an Apple Watch when you break down the actual cost of repair.

 

[sean000]

My watch will turn 2 years old soon, and I've never needed to use AppleCare. I'm not sorry I purchased it or the peace of mind... especially as I was buying a first generation product so long-term durability was unknown. Will I purchase it again with my next Apple Watch? Probably not. If something happened I would replace my Apple Watch immediately, but in that unlikely event I can afford another Apple Watch Sport without breaking the bank. It just doesn't make as much sense for the Sport, because you will pay $49 for AppleCare+ and then a $69 service fee if you need to use it. When you can get a new AWS (38mm S1) for $250 to $270 then adding AppleCare+ is like paying 19% more. It might be worth it if you need to use it, but what if you make it halfway through your AppleCare+ plan with no issues and if it finally breaks you'd rather have an excuse to buy the new model that just dropped anyway?

Now if you're buying a more expensive Apple Watch, then the potential savings down the line with AppleCare+ are much more significant.

Today we know that the AW is a reasonably durable product and chances are you will never need AppleCare. I'm generally not in favor of purchasing extended warranty and accident insurance plans, but ultimately it's a personal decision that I think requires asking yourself the following questions:

• How important do you think this product will be to your daily life or work? If it breaks would you replace it immediately?
• If you would want to replace a broken one immediately, will you be able to afford another one without putting too much of a strain on your finances?

If the item is important enough to you, and will cause you financial pain and stress to pay the full replacement price, then purchasing AppleCare+ is a good idea.

TLDR:
My opinion: Buy AppleCare+ for the more expensive models, but do not buy it for the AW Sport.

 

[SDColorado]

It just doesn't make much sense for the Sport, because you will pay $49 for AppleCare+ and then a $69 service fee if you need to use it. When you can get a new AWS for $250 then AppleCare+ is like paying $49 up front to save $132 later, but only when there is a slight chance you will need it.

Wait what? Who is selling a 42mm AWS S2 for $250? I am still well within my return period.

 

[sean000]

Wait what? Who is selling a 42mm AWS S2 for $250? I am still well within my return period.

Sorry... I was referring to the 38mm S1. Apple retails it for $269, but you can often find it for $250 or less. Yes, of course it will cost more to get the 42mm or the S2, so one should always factor in the price for the actual watch they are purchasing when trying to decide whether or not AppleCare+ is worth it to them.

I clarified my previous post a bit.

Sean

 

[SDColorado]

Sorry... I was referring to the 38mm S1. Apple retails it for $269, but you can often find it for $250 or less. Yes, of course it will cost more to get the 42mm or the S2, so one should always factor in the price for the actual watch they are purchasing when trying to decide whether or not AppleCare+ is worth it to them.

Sean

Gotcha. I am admittedly not the savviest shopper. Was wondering if I had seriously overpaid.

 

[chrisforpm]

My advice would be to get it for the watch. I have AC+ on my watch and phone and I've ever only used it once, for my Apple Watch that I hit on the corner of a counter

 

[AndyJoeshow]

I have Apple Care on my series 0 watch. Recently the battery acted very strange, and I took it to the store. While they agreed it wasn't working, despite how every other apple care replacement has worked, this time I had to send it away. A week later, I get my watch back and they said they could not find anything wrong, and sent it back as is.

As long as you are resonbily careful with items, I struggle to see how apple care is worth it on the watches. The genius at the store told me all Apple Watch repairs are sent out, and none can be done in store. So while I'll always buy it for the iPhone (as they can fix in stores most times) I probably will not buy it for the watch in the future.

 

[cobracnvt]

I wouldn't bother with Apple Care for the entry level Apple Watches, but it becomes more worthwhile as the purchase price goes up. Some credit card companies double the manufacturer's warranty, which would provide for 2 years of coverage just like AC.

 

[jbachandouris]

I mentioned this earlier in the thread, but it bears repeating: if you have AppleCare, you can get an advance exchange, which means you are not without a watch at all. They send you the replacement and then you send yours back.

Another advantage is that you will never have a 'we can't find anything wrong with it' issue as they will have already replaced it.

It annoys me to no end when I send a product in for repair and the so-called 'tech' says there's nothing wrong and sends it right back. I sent it in because it's broken, so FIX it!

 

[0mgjohn]

A general rule of thumb from my time working at the Genius Bar, that most employees tended to follow:

If it's a portable product, get AppleCare

I think this just highlights that the coverage is best for products that are moved about often, more prone to travel damage etc... though I personally only get it for my iPhone & MBP, didn't get it for my Watch tbh.

 

[Arran]

TLDR:
My opinion: Buy AppleCare+ for the more expensive models, but do not buy it for the AW Sport.

Excellent advice.

I'm on my 3rd Apple watch now. I bought AppleCare for all three and never used it once. Wife and kids in the same boat: Never used AppleCare once. The watch is very robust.

iPhones are a different story. Rarely a quarter goes by without a claim (usually smashed screens)

 

[ecschwarz]

I mentioned this earlier in the thread, but it bears repeating: if you have AppleCare, you can get an advance exchange, which means you are not without a watch at all. They send you the replacement and then you send yours back.

Another advantage is that you will never have a 'we can't find anything wrong with it' issue as they will have already replaced it.

It annoys me to no end when I send a product in for repair and the so-called 'tech' says there's nothing wrong and sends it right back. I sent it in because it's broken, so FIX it!

I was looking around these threads as a friend of mine has an original Apple Watch Sport (same model as mine) and the battery life became pretty bad. Trying it as a fresh restore also yielded similar performance. The local Apple Store looked at it and did a test that was essentially pass/fail and it passed. To try to rule out the apps/configuration/phone, I tried it for a couple of days set up as a restore of my watch, paired to my phone. With that use, I found it as dying a few hours earlier then mine typically would. A few weeks pass and it's still "passing" as far as Apple is concerned. I can't fault them, as people always complain about battery life, but this case seems measurably abnormal (at least us trying to rule out variables).

As she has AC+ for another couple of months, this sounds like this might be the next step to try - is it something you have to specifically ask for?

 

[jbachandouris]

I was looking around these threads as a friend of mine has an original Apple Watch Sport (same model as mine) and the battery life became pretty bad. Trying it as a fresh restore also yielded similar performance. The local Apple Store looked at it and did a test that was essentially pass/fail and it passed. To try to rule out the apps/configuration/phone, I tried it for a couple of days set up as a restore of my watch, paired to my phone. With that use, I found it as dying a few hours earlier then mine typically would. A few weeks pass and it's still "passing" as far as Apple is concerned. I can't fault them, as people always complain about battery life, but this case seems measurably abnormal (at least us trying to rule out variables).

As she has AC+ for another couple of months, this sounds like this might be the next step to try - is it something you have to specifically ask for?

The battery 'test' that Apple uses in store is useless as it almost always 'passes' a battery. I would call Apple Care and start with the battery life complaint. I would mention all the things you've already done. Also, if you mention that you're having problems with the heart rate monitor, they most likely will approve an advanced exchange with credit card.

I mentioned the heart monitor as I thought mine had issues.

 

[AVBeatMan]

I've always got AC+ for mu iPhones but never for the Watches. Now I've just bought the more expensive Space Black SS I'm, thinking it might be worth it. I'm in the UK and it's £89 over here. Yes, it's expensive but I am planning to keep this watch for 2 years so I figure £45 a year not too bad. Plus, if I decide to upgrade next year I can always cash in whatever's left of the AC+.

Still deciding though...

 

[sean000]

I've always got AC+ for mu iPhones but never for the Watches. Now I've just bought the more expensive Space Black SS I'm, thinking it might be worth it. I'm in the UK and it's £89 over here. Yes, it's expensive but I am planning to keep this watch for 2 years so I figure £45 a year not too bad. Plus, if I decide to upgrade next year I can always cash in whatever's left of the AC+.

Still deciding though...

I did the opposite. I have never purchased AppleCare + for an iPhone, but I did purchase it for my Apple Watch. I guess my logic was that I keep a case and screen protector on my iPhone, but my watch is more exposed being on my wrist with no additional protection. Of course even the most protected device can malfunction and require expensive repairs, so I guess you could say I purchased AppleCare more for the accident insurance. Like any insurance it all comes down to how risk averse you are. If everything goes well then AppleCare is a waste of money. If something goes wrong, it reduces the cost of repair. If the insurance will make you sleep better at night, it’s probably worth it. It’s a tough call. I haven’t decided whether or not I will buy it for the S4.

 

[iAppl3Fan]

I always try & get apple care+. I just factor it in the price before.

One of the cool things is, & I don't know any people take advantage of it (at least with the phone) Is that you can get a refund (or gift card if you prefer) for any unused apple care. I update my phone yearly, so although I pay for 2 years, I don't use 2 years, so I get 50% of it back.

What do you have to do to get the refund on unused apple care?

 

[44267547]

What do you have to do to get the refund on unused apple care?

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202704

• If you cancel your AppleCare plan within 30 days of your purchase date, you’ll get a full refund, minus the value of any service already provided.
• If you cancel your AppleCare plan more than 30 days after your purchase, you’ll get a refund based on the percentage of unexpired AppleCare coverage, minus the value of any service already provided. You can find the cancellation fee in the AppleCare product Terms and Conditions for your AppleCare Protection Plan or AppleCare+

 

[ipaddaro]

I've always got AC+ for mu iPhones but never for the Watches. Now I've just bought the more expensive Space Black SS I'm, thinking it might be worth it. I'm in the UK and it's £89 over here. Yes, it's expensive but I am planning to keep this watch for 2 years so I figure £45 a year not too bad. Plus, if I decide to upgrade next year I can always cash in whatever's left of the AC+.

Still deciding though...

i did it.. i think i can enjoy my watch more and don't live afraid of smashing it (the same can happen for an iphone but, provided that i did also for the iphone, i use a case on it and i can put it in a safe place when doing something "risky".. viceversa, i wear my watch all the time and the probability of hitting it hard against something are very high imho)

 

[PhillyGuy72]

I always got the Apple Care for phones, had it for the S1 Apple Sport Watch...but never needed it. Had it for the S4 aluminum. Returned it, got the SS S4, I didnt get Apple Care for this initially - but added it Friday. It's just piece of mind.

It kind of comes down to the one time I don't get...something might go wrong and I won't have it.

 

[musicpenguy]

It’s especially worth it if you want to use it for many years - the battery replacement is free with AC+ so at the end of 2 years you can get a fresh battery to get another few years of life out of it. It also gives you peace of mind as the Apple Watch is expensive to repair - you are basically paying for the price of a brand new watch if you don’t have AC.

 

[ZipZap]

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202704

• If you cancel your AppleCare plan within 30 days of your purchase date, you’ll get a full refund, minus the value of any service already provided.
• If you cancel your AppleCare plan more than 30 days after your purchase, you’ll get a refund based on the percentage of unexpired AppleCare coverage, minus the value of any service already provided. You can find the cancellation fee in the AppleCare product Terms and Conditions for your AppleCare Protection Plan or AppleCare+

There is an additional 10% charge in option 2 for aplles inconvenience.

 

[mackie8]

im curious what if you are moving to a non applecare coverage country?
still covered?

 

[44267547]

im curious what if you are moving to a non applecare coverage country?
still covered?

Good question. I would still think that AppleCare would have to be acknowledged if it was purchased with the product or within 60 days, which we know Apple has a global warranty that already is applied.