Is it Worth Buying AppleCare+ for iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus?

[MacRumors]

After spending hundreds of dollars on a brand new iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus, you may be debating whether it's really worth it to put additional money towards an AppleCare+ plan for your shiny new device.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but the short version is that AppleCare+ for iPhone is generally worth the investment. The long answer depends on many factors, such as the type of damage and how careful you are.

What is AppleCare+?

AppleCare+ is an optional warranty plan that extends an iPhone's warranty coverage to two years from the original purchase date of the device, and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $29 for screen damage, or $99 for any other damage.

AppleCare+ for iPhone also provides 24/7 priority access to AppleCare advisors via online chat or phone for up to two years after the device's original purchase date. Without the plan, iPhone owners are covered by a limited one-year warranty and an initial 90 days of complimentary telephone support.

How Much Does AppleCare+ Cost?

AppleCare+ is $129 for iPhone 8 and $149 for iPhone 8 Plus in the United States.

o Scenario A -- Your Screen Cracks
Apple charges $149 for an iPhone 8 screen repair and $169 for an iPhone 8 Plus screen repair in the United States. There's also a $6.95 shipping fee if you need to send the iPhone to an Apple repair facility.

AppleCare+ combined with a screen repair incidental fee costs $158 for iPhone 8 or $178 for iPhone 8 Plus.

AppleCare+ is $2.05 to $9 more expensive if you crack your screen.

o Scenario B -- The Back Glass Shatters
Apple charges $349 for an iPhone 8 glass back repair and $399 for an iPhone 8 Plus glass back repair in the United States.

AppleCare+ combined with an "other damage" repair incidental fee costs $228 for iPhone 8 or $248 for iPhone 8 Plus.

AppleCare+ is $121 cheaper for iPhone 8 and $151 cheaper for iPhone 8 Plus if you shatter the back glass.

o Scenario C -- Other Damage
Apple charges $349 for a non-screen-related iPhone 8 repair and $399 for a non-screen-related iPhone 8 Plus repair in the United States.

AppleCare+ combined with an "other damage" repair incidental fee costs $228 for iPhone 8 or $248 for iPhone 8 Plus.

AppleCare+ is $121 cheaper for iPhone 8 and $151 cheaper for iPhone 8 Plus for any other kind of damage.

Is AppleCare+ Worth It?

AppleCare+ will save you at least $120 if the rear glass on your iPhone shatters even once. If you plan on using your iPhone without a case, and think you might drop it, then it's a worthwhile investment. If you are using a protective case, however, the rear glass should be able to withstand drops from reasonable heights.

AppleCare+ is less worthwhile if you damage your screen, as you can expect to roughly break even. But, the person who has AppleCare+ would still have a second incident of accidental damage coverage if they ever need it, plus 24/7 priority access to technical support via online chat or phone.

Since it only takes one accident to pay for itself, if not save you money, many users feel AppleCare+ is ultimately worth it. And if you're super careful and never end up needing it, two years of 24/7 priority access to technical support is still a nice perk.

Article Link: Is it Worth Buying AppleCare+ for iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus?

 

[MartinAppleGuy]

A decent 20 dollar case seems to be the best 'Apple Care' compared to those prices. Only device I bought Apple Care with is my 12.9 iPad Pro, has the screen replacement on it is like 599 haha

 

[maverick2007]

I will try my best to damage rear glass!

 

[jonnysods]

Never regretted buying it yet!

 

[levitynyc]

Why is the rear glass more expensive?

Wireless charging?

 

[Mlrollin91]

Why is the rear glass more expensive?

Wireless charging?

It requires the entire phone to be replaced. iFixIt said the glass is like fused to the rear-housing. iPhone 4/4s, the rear glass was just "screwed" into place by the bottom screws, like the screen.

 

[BenTrovato]

It's become a better option in the past few years. I find the devices harder to fix myself but the other places that repair iPhones cost almost as much as it does to have purchased AppleCare which wasn't the case 3-4 years ago.

 

[IJ Reilly]

A decent 20 dollar case seems to be the best 'Apple Care' compared to those prices. Only device I bought Apple Care with is my 12.9 iPad Pro, has the screen replacement on it is like 599 haha

Exactly. Extended warranties are bad deals, always.

 

[44267547]

For me, I have never needed AppleCare for my iPhones. I have been fortunate where I my devices never have been damaged or have had any major hardware issues after my warranty expired. I take good care of my iPhones and has helped with resale. Its great to have when you need it, but I take my chances without it.

 

[VictorWI]

IF I bought AppleCare+, I don't, I would make sure that back glass was broken 23 months in.

 

[MH01]

For me it’s worth the extra year. I’ve had 4 phones replaced under AppleCare , and never paid the access fee. So in my experience , it’s worth the extra year of coverage

 

[kbsj007]

I am confused. Apple's iPhone repair cost shows it only costs $29 plus applicable taxes and shipping cost to "All iPhones with AppleCare+." Also "other damage" costs $99 plus applicable taxes and shipping cost to "All iPhones with AppleCare+." Based on what I have read on Apple.com seems like iPhone 8 and 8 Plus both fall under the "all iPhones" category, so I really do not understand how this article calculates AppleCare+ numbers and reaches the conclusion in those three different scenarios.

 

[MH01]

IF I bought AppleCare+, I don't, I would make sure that back glass was broken 23 months in.

Well some people do break theirs on purpose to get a new phone
[doublepost=1506456622][/doublepost]

I am confused. Apple's iPhone repair cost shows it only costs $29 plus applicable taxes and shipping cost to "All iPhones with AppleCare+." Also "other damage" costs $99 plus applicable taxes and shipping cost to "All iPhones with AppleCare+." Based on what I have read on Apple.com seems like iPhone 8 and 8 Plus both fall under the "all iPhones" category, so I really do not understand how this article calculates AppleCare+ numbers and reaches the conclusion in those three different scenarios.

You need to add the initial cost of AppleCare plus

 

[kbsj007]

Well some people do break theirs on purpose to get a new phone
[doublepost=1506456622][/doublepost]

You need to add the initial cost of AppleCare plus

Okay, that is fair. Now I got it. Thanks.

 

[Eorlas]

Exactly. Extended warranties are a bad deals, always.

The extended warranty with my car that costs $2500 of the course of the entire financing term paid for itself at my first service appointment.

I really don't think you should be giving advice to people.

 

[ricktat]

It's only worth it if you break your phone.

Also.. you need to add in perks like express replacements.. This is good even if the phone needs a warranty repair.

 

[moabal]

Like any form of insurance, it is best to evaluate what is best for your personal situation. On one extreme, if someone does not take care of their phone and they have no emergency savings to cover the potential high cost of repair, then warranty makes sense. On the other extreme, if someone takes care of their phone and has more assets to spend on the potential high cost of repair, then warranty does not make as much sense.

For my case, anything over $1,000 I buy AppleCare (MacBook Pro).

 

[ricktat]

A decent 20 dollar case seems to be the best 'Apple Care' compared to those prices. Only device I bought Apple Care with is my 12.9 iPad Pro, has the screen replacement on it is like 599 haha

Do you flop that little muug.. the 12.9 Ipad pro in and out of your pocket all day and hold it to your ear?

 

[IJ Reilly]

The extended warranty with my car that costs $2500 of the course of the entire financing term paid for itself at my first service appointment.

I really don't think you should be giving advice to people.

I should say the same for you. Extended warranties are not gifts. They are not pushed by the manufacturers out of the goodness of their hearts. They are pushed because they are very profitable.

I've been buying Apple products for nearly 35 years. If I'd bought AppleCare on them, I'd have spend thousands. And how much would I have collected in claims? Nothing. Zero.

So go ahead and bet that a product is more likely to break than the company that sold it to you believes. After all, you know way better than they do.

 

[ipedro]

A decent 20 dollar case seems to be the best 'Apple Care' compared to those prices. Only device I bought Apple Care with is my 12.9 iPad Pro, has the screen replacement on it is like 599 haha

That's the point. You have a beautifully designed phone that was whittled down by microns to achieve its thin design and then you go and cover it with a cheap plastic case? To some people, that makes no sense. It's like adding a plastic cover to your Ferrari.

And by the way, a case doesn't guarantee protection unless you have something of military strength, in which case your phone barely fits in your pocket. Apple Care has always been my "case". It's incredibly liberating not to have to worry about dropping it.

 

[JulesK]

I agree that extended warranties are almost always a bad deal, particularly when you spread out your costs over all the different things for which one could buy an extended warranty. You are better off self-insuring. As for Apple products, I've always been impressed with how the company has dealt with true defects (looking at you, rMBP screen) years after the initial purchase. But my iPhone is my most used piece of technology; sadly, for hours a day (work and personal). The ability to replace it quickly alone is worth the extra cost to me, although I get the argument that the all money I've spent on AC+ could just buy a new phone if/when I truly needed a replacement ASAP. I've stopped getting AC+ for everything but my iPhones, and when I sell my old ones, I discontinue the coverage and get a little bit back.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Like any form of insurance, it is best to evaluate what is best for your personal situation. On one extreme, if someone does not take care of their phone and they have no emergency savings to cover the potential high cost of repair, then warranty makes sense. On the other extreme, if someone takes care of their phone and has more assets to spend on the potential high cost of repair, then warranty does not make as much sense.

For my case, anything over $1,000 I buy AppleCare (MacBook Pro).

This is good financial sense. Insure only for things you could not afford to fix or replace out of pocket.

 

[ricktat]

I should say the same for you. Extended warranties are not gifts. They are not pushed by the manufacturers out of the goodness of their hearts. They are pushed because they are very profitable.

I've been buying Apple products for nearly 35 years. If I'd bought AppleCare on them, I'd have spend thousands. And how much would I have collected in claims? Nothing. Zero.

So go ahead and bet that a product is more likely to break than the company that sold it to you believes. After all, you know way better than they do.

You have obviously never had your Iphone 8 plus is your back pocket wearing skinny jeans.

 

[IJ Reilly]

You have obviously never had your Iphone 8 plus is your back pocket wearing skinny jeans.

You got me there. I am not careless with my stuff.

 

[Dahveed 1954]

After spending hundreds of dollars on a brand new iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus, you may be debating whether it's really worth it to put additional money towards an AppleCare+ plan for your shiny new device.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but the short version is that AppleCare+ for iPhone is generally worth the investment. The long answer depends on many factors, such as the type of damage and how careful you are.

What is AppleCare+?

AppleCare+ is an optional warranty plan that extends an iPhone's warranty coverage to two years from the original purchase date of the device, and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $29 for screen damage, or $99 for any other damage.

AppleCare+ for iPhone also provides 24/7 priority access to AppleCare advisors via online chat or phone for up to two years after the device's original purchase date. Without the plan, iPhone owners are covered by a limited one-year warranty and an initial 90 days of complimentary telephone support.

How Much Does AppleCare+ Cost?

AppleCare+ is $129 for iPhone 8 and $149 for iPhone 8 Plus in the United States.

o Scenario A -- Your Screen Cracks
Apple charges $149 for an iPhone 8 screen repair and $169 for an iPhone 8 Plus screen repair in the United States. There's also a $6.95 shipping fee if you need to send the iPhone to an Apple repair facility.

AppleCare+ combined with a screen repair incidental fee costs $158 for iPhone 8 or $178 for iPhone 8 Plus.

AppleCare+ is $2.05 to $9 more expensive if you crack your screen.

o Scenario B -- The Back Glass Shatters
Apple charges $349 for an iPhone 8 glass back repair and $399 for an iPhone 8 Plus glass back repair in the United States.

AppleCare+ combined with an "other damage" repair incidental fee costs $228 for iPhone 8 or $248 for iPhone 8 Plus.

AppleCare+ is $121 cheaper for iPhone 8 and $151 cheaper for iPhone 8 Plus if you shatter the back glass.

o Scenario C -- Other Damage
Apple charges $349 for a non-screen-related iPhone 8 repair and $399 for a non-screen-related iPhone 8 Plus repair in the United States.

AppleCare+ combined with an "other damage" repair incidental fee costs $228 for iPhone 8 or $248 for iPhone 8 Plus.

AppleCare+ is $121 cheaper for iPhone 8 and $151 cheaper for iPhone 8 Plus for any other kind of damage.

Is AppleCare+ Worth It?

AppleCare+ will save you at least $120 if the rear glass on your iPhone shatters even once. If you plan on using your iPhone without a case, and think you might drop it, then it's a worthwhile investment. If you are using a protective case, however, the rear glass should be able to withstand drops from reasonable heights.

AppleCare+ is less worthwhile if you damage your screen, as you can expect to roughly break even. But, the person who has AppleCare+ would still have a second incident of accidental damage coverage if they ever need it, plus 24/7 priority access to technical support via online chat or phone.

Since it only takes one accident to pay for itself, if not save you money, many users feel AppleCare+ is ultimately worth it. And if you're super careful and never end up needing it, two years of 24/7 priority access to technical support is still a nice perk.

Article Link: Is it Worth Buying AppleCare+ for iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus?