Is it Worth Buying AppleCare+ for iPhone X?

[gnasher729]

Not quite. From your own link: „Any defect or non-conformity of goods with the contract which becomes apparent within 6 months of delivery are presumed to have existed at the time of delivery. After the expiry of this 6 month period, the burden to prove that the defect or non-conformity of goods with the contract existed on delivery generally shifts to the consumer.“

In other words: after 6 months, you have to prove that the product was defective from the start, which is very hard to do. Hence a manufacturer‘s warranty is much better than these consumer law rights. Also accidental damage is obviously the main reason to get Apple Care+, so it doesn‘t make sense to brush that aside.

For the X, I would say if you‘re generally careful with your stuff and put a case on it to protect the glass back, it‘s probably ok not to get AC+. If you tend to drop your phones or (like me) go caseless, AC+ is a very good idea and at the very least gives you peace of mind.

Well, it's often not _that_ hard to prove (if the defect was indeed present from the start). If there is no water damage, and no physical damage outside, and no sign that you (or someone else) damaged the phone, then that's a good indication that the damage was there when the phone was sold. But also, as far as I know the "geniuses" at the Apple Store are instructed to fix the problem _if they believe_ it's Apple's fault, even if they are quite sure the customer cannot prove it.

 

[yanbellium]

this is so ****ed up these greedy mother****ers gave us a back glass to charge us more money now for sure i’m not getting this phone

As a consumer (and an adult) this is your decision. I do recall that the iPhone X isn’t the FIRST iPhone with a back glass. Walk with me down memory lane. The iPhone 4 and 4s had a back glass. Remember? And it was $29 to replace the back glass only. Now mind you, the iPhone 4 and 4s were great devices in 2010 and 2011. We are in 2017 and technology has advanced. We have wireless charging and facial recognition. If you owned a company such as Apple, would you charge $29 to replace the back glass on an iPhone X. Before you answer, make sure you have knowledge of how much it costs to develop a device and maintain production for millions of customers around the world. Also keep in mind you have thousands of employees to pay for their work. Employees that do and do not work for Apple might I add. Also keep in mind that you have buildings and manufacturers to pay for. You get the point...I’m sure you do. What price for a device replacement did you come up with after totaling all of this up?

Point is...there is no need for negativity and profanity when you as a consumer (and adult) have the OPTION of paying for an iPhone. Good day.

 

[QCassidy352]

There’s nothing wrong with the X or the price...consumers just want a luxurious phone for a non-luxurious price.

Don’t you agree?

No, I don't agree. The top-end iPhone (max capacity) cost $850 in 2013, $950 in 2014, $970 in 2016, and $1150 in 2017. And those same models, with minimum capacity, were $650/$750/$770/$1000.

Is the X a "more luxurious" phone in 2017 than the other top-end models were in their respective years? I guess that's a matter of opinion, but I think not. Why exactly should the price have increased by that much in 4 years? Apple has been inching the price higher and higher, and like frogs in slowly heating water, it hasn't alarmed us as much as it should - but we're at something of a boiling point now, IMO. $1150 for a phone is insanity.

 

[sir1963nz]

In the EU Apple Care has little to no use since EU consumer protection laws are quite good. Furthermore, in the case one might damage ones screen, might as well repair it and spend as much as Apple Care +the fee.

In New Zealand we too have consumer protection laws which makes the "extended warranty" scams worthless.
Screen damage will be covered under household insurance.

 

[badbrain]

In the EU Apple Care has little to no use since EU consumer protection laws are quite good. Furthermore, in the case one might damage ones screen, might as well repair it and spend as much as Apple Care +the fee.

Plus with Orange in France, the mobile insurance covers EVERYthing. Theft, oxidising, breakage. iPhone X 256gb is €453 for me. Trade or sell old 7 plus, basically free. Consistently amazed (but selfishly grateful) how badly UK and US customers are ripped off. I work for Orange international business mobile division, I know.

 

[joueboy]

As if this article really give us a definite answer. The obvious answer to this is that Apple needs to make money despite the low performance sales of the iPhone 8’s and iPhone X. They made a glass phone to increase breakage means more money coming from fixes. From most people Apple will take that extra dollars either Apple Care or you need fixing.

 

[yanbellium]

It isn't worth it.

Just don't break your phone. Seriously. If you use your phone every single day, use a decent case.

$200 upfront and if you never break your phone that $200 is out the window. If you do happen to break it you're only out an extra $50 compared to AppleCare. Plus most carriers offer some form of insurance that's cheaper and also covers loss or theft.

You stated at the beginning of your post “just don’t break your phone”. Then you turned around and stated to go to a carrier because it’s cheaper and they offer lost or stolen. How about they “just don’t lose their phone”. Oh wait, you can’t predict what will happen can you? You see, I can’t predict when I’ll get sick but I pay for health insurance. I can’t predict when I’ll get in a car wreck but I pay for auto insurance. I can’t predict if I will break my phone, so I pay for AppleCare.

Point is, as a consumer (and an adult) I CHOOSE to pay for what I want to pay for. Apple doesn’t dictate anything for me.

 

[xero9]

It isn't worth it.

Just don't break your phone. Seriously. If you use your phone every single day, use a decent case.

$200 upfront and if you never break your phone that $200 is out the window. If you do happen to break it you're only out an extra $50 compared to AppleCare. Plus most carriers offer some form of insurance that's cheaper and also covers loss or theft.

I've owned the 2G, 3G, 4, 5, 5s, 6+, 6s+ and my wife has owned the 5, 6s, and now 8. I never had an issue until my 6s+ which had to be replaced twice under AppleCare (not user-inspired damage) and my wife's 6s died overnight unexpectedly. I'd say AppleCare isn't worth it, but given that our two latest devices (the 8 was bought to replace her dead 6s), I'd say it's in the consumer's best interest to get AppleCare. Quality seems to be going down the crapper lately.

 

[gnasher729]

Why would a rear glass replacement be “other” and more expensive than a screen replacement? Kinda doesn’t makes sense. I’d demand the rear glass be covered for the same cost as the front glass.

Actually, for the back glass you will find a guy who can do it for much cheaper than the front glass. This is for people who buy an iPhone X, use it for years and years until it falls apart, and then replace it with a new one. Or you buy an iPhone X, use it for many years until it falls apart, and then you give it away to a friend, who takes it to the Apple Store and gets a new iPhone X for $549 instead of $999 or $1149.

 

[noteple]

Why would a rear glass replacement be “other” and more expensive than a screen replacement? Kinda doesn’t makes sense. I’d demand the rear glass be covered for the same cost as the front glass.

Unlike the iPhone 4 the rear glass is part of the housing and thats a whole phone replacement

 

[gnasher729]

Several sellers are lax about it, Amazon has a reputation of being very pro-consumer in this regard and don't insist on you proving anything to them, however if you got your phone with your contract from your carrier, in my case that was an iPhone 4 with Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile Germany) you're SOL, because those guys play hardball.

I suppose you could go to the nearest Apple Store, and ask the genius there to look at the phone and figure out why it isn't working. If they say "manufacturing defect" that's the proof you need.

 

[noteple]

The story should have mentioned that if you are a member of Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program, the AppleCare+ is already included, which is a great added benefit.

The Apple Care plus is divided by 24 months and added into the monthly base cost of the phone.
You're paying for that "benefit"

 

[EvilEvil]

Apple Care is never worth it. Just use an Amex card whenever you buy Apple hardware.

 

[mdatwood]

I've never bought Apple Care for my iPhones. I've also never cracked my phone glass, and I still have the original iPhone around here somewhere. I have had 3-4 iPhones replaced for free on the spot within the first year of usage though (home button stops working, phone just starts rebooting, etc...). $199 is steep for the insurance, so unless you're a habitual glass cracker I don't really see the point.

Now, my MBP has AC as does my watch. I tend to keep computers much longer than my phone and the cost was reasonable. I wear my watch 24/7, so it's much more likely to get busted. The AC for it was also more reasonably priced.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

I've owned iPhones since 2008 and never once bought Apple Care. I've never cracked a screen. Only once had to replace the front panel due to broken microphone by the earpiece (I think was due to water condensation from snow skiing). So I spent I think $229 once instead of like $1,000 if I kept buying Apple Care. I know accidents happen, but most of it is just taking care of your stuff. Never once used a case on my 3g/4, used a case about 50% of the time on my 5, and virtually always used a case on my 6 Plus (way too large and slippery).

 

[noteple]

For me, I've never needed Apple care for any of my devices. I'm one that's fairly cautious and I have been fortunate over the years to not have any accidents. So I will continue to do without AppleCare and use my devices for what they're worth to me.

Monitoring a steady stream of screen and phone repairs over a month the phones owner may be careful but their significant other, parent, sibling, friend, pet is not and was responsible for the damage.

Ah the end of a beautiful friendship.

 

[pubwvj]

Use statistics. Base them on your own history as the individual makes a huge difference in the damage rate.
I've had devices like the iPhone (but not necessarily the iPhone - just similar usage types) for 22 years. I have had only one break in all that time. It was a a drop onto concrete. This would have incurred the screen replacement fee.

22 years / 2 year programs = 11 x $199 = $2,189
+ $29 for the screen repair = $2,218

While in general I have been a buyer of AppleCare in the past for computers which were $3,000 purchases this makes it seem very not worth it. Instead I could not buy the AppleCare and just buy two extra iPhoneX's.

So the end result is that for my usage pattern the AppleCare is not worth it.

Your mileage may vary.

Be careful.
[doublepost=1509307629][/doublepost]Oh, and the one screen break I did have was just a corner crack and I would not have bothered even sending it in under AppleCare if it had been covered 100% since I wouldn't want the down time.

 

[WilliamG]

What percentage of owners break their devices multiple times ?

Using your logic, why not include the 3rd time, the 4th time, and so on ? Eventually, it's practically like Apple is paying you !

There's no logic to that. AppleCare+ covers 2 instances of breakages. So.. again - it makes sense to factor this. I do know people who break/drop their phones twice in two years. It's not that unheard of.

 

[fireguy286]

Since it's included in the IUP, never gave it much serious debate, but I haven't had a major accident in years.

 

[bambooshots]

“I only get it on Macs, not devices”.

But why? Insurance is purchased based on financial security and is adjusted in price based on the cost of the device. Secondly, a phone is much more likely to break due to negligence than an iMac or MacBook.

People seem to disregard the importance of iPhone or iPad insurance due to some sort of bias I don’t understand.

It just my experience, but I've had a few issues on Macs before and none with iPhones.

It's not just negligent breakage, it's also a longer hardware warranty. And there are more moving parts to a Mac which makes it a more complex machine and more prone to breakages than the iPhone.

I even got AppleCare for my Watch as it sits on the wrist and could be more prone to breakages than the iPhone.

 

[TigerWoodsIV]

I wouldn't buy it if I didn't have to with the IUP. I'm contemplating not going with the IUP the next time I get a phone now that these prices are so high. $880 iirc for my 7 before tax, now $1350, that's insane. Might just keep the X for a couple years, sell it, and buy my next phone outright.

 

[mpopkin]

The only product I ever bought Apple Care for was my Mac and IMac. I don’t feel devices are worth it.

I am not clumsy, nor do i generally drop phones, or my ipad, however it may seem I have always bought applecare + for my iphone/ipad Pro. Let me say one thing.

I broke my iphone once accidentally and boom, right out of the gate I was saved by Applecare +($79 replacement fee at the time) and I completely earned back the difference in cost.

my ipad(s) are a different story, I totally use my ipads whether travelling, camping, at home, at work, with Applecare + I use them, and i mean use them. I have had three replacements in 5 years, and this past weekend slept, or rolled over on my iPad Pro(which mind you costed 849) and i will not even have to pay an incident fee to get a new one, because it was bent, and not broken, they just replace it at no fee.

Here is the problem, why is the replacement fee cheaper on an ipad that can easily cost as much as a iphone? I asked the apple rep that recently and they could not give me a good answer. Now I am on Apple upgrade program which includes Applecare +, but i ask everyone here: If you are willing to pay $1000 for a phone, what is an extra 200 to save you a fortune over time, you have two incidents, and you may never need to use it, but what happens if you do, your carrier will not accept it back as an exchange for an upgrade, no one will buy a broken device with such a high replacement/repair cost, so you are all of a sudden fully responsible for the cost of the device, ie..out 1k....or the replacement/repair costs depending on what broke... If you cannot afford applecare, than one might ask, can you afford the phone itself...but it is a worthwhile investment, and a whole lot cheaper than carrier insurance options, which by the way have incredibly high incident deductibles...higher than apple.

Apple does need to keep the prices the same across devices, it should not cost close to the same for Applecare for iphone x as it would a Macbook Pro 15" Touchbar, that is ridiculous...

 

[tkukoc]

Apple care, I’ll never buy it for a phone... wearables like the watch, absolutely! The phone is more or a controllable item for me. Where the watch is in the open all the time, I don’t take it off and put it in my pocket. So it makes sense to pay more to protect it. But phones or iPads.. nah, but then again I use cases on all my devices and even testing devices. If there’s a problem it’s an Apple hardware issue and those are easily taken back during a diagnostic check... even when out of warranty.. depends how much knowledge you have when things go bad.

 

[iosuser]

I’ve always thought it’s pointless to ask others whether something is worth a certain monetary value. What something is worth to one is completely personal based on preferences and ones financial situation.

That said, when shopping for an accessory or in this case a warranty, I always think of the cost as a percentage of the item. If it exceeds 10-15% I’ll seriously question that purchase. In this case 20% the cost of the base iPhone X. Decide for yourself if it’s worth it to you.

 

[carpleror]

So basically if I shatter the front glass it’s $279, but if I shatter the back glass it’s almost double? That makes a lot of sense...