PSA: AppleCare+ for Mac and iPhone Must Be Bought Within 60 Days of Purchase

[Weaselboy]

This is true. When you try to use the warranty from the credit card, you're working with a third party insurance company. You can get it done, but it's not painless.

I have a similar protection deal that comes with my VISA card, and the way the contract reads is I just pay for the repair myself through Apple or whatever, then I send VISA the receipt and they reimburse me. There is nothing in the wording that I have seen about dealing with any third party at all.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

Big FU to the buyers of their 2016 models that also bought AppleCare.

Why do people take this sort of thing personally? Companies don't change prices or features out of spite, they do it to entice new buyers.

If the price and features met your needs at the time you made your purchase... that was your decision. If you delayed your purchase in hopes that something better comes along... also your decision.

 

[mattopotamus]

I have a similar protection deal that comes with my VISA card, and the way the contract reads is I just pay for the repair myself through Apple or whatever, then I send VISA the receipt and they reimburse me. There is nothing in the wording that I have seen about dealing with any third party at all.

I believe they all let you take this route. You can go through the CC company insurance or take the easy route and pay Apple and then have it reimbursed.
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Why do people take this sort of thing personally? Companies don't change prices or features out of spite, they do it to entice new buyers.

If the price and features met your needs at the time you made your purchase... that was your decision. If you delayed your purchase in hopes that something better comes along... also your decision.

Agreed. That would be like saying, "A big FU to anyone who has ever bought an apple laptop". I would personally only feel burned if I bought mine like 70 days ago with AppleCare, and even so I bet they would let you add it if you called.

 

[Sneakz]

Apple Care+ is nice if you need the accidental damage warranty. However, the base Apple Care is a waste of money. I buy all of my goods with either my CITI Bank or Discover card. Both of which extend the manufacturer's warranty by an additional 1 and 2 years respectively. And you only need to purchase a portion of the good on the preferred card. I think my AMEX does the same but I haven't used it for that purposes. Point being, use the free service with your credit card while saving money with piece of mind.

Yeah, I use my AMEX for bigger ticket purchases to be covered for various things. You don't really have to jump through any hoops. Just hold on to receipts that prove the item was purchased with said card and once you get the okay, charge any repairs to the card and they'll credit you back.

 

[fedecape]

interesting. I really feel like the title of the article should focus on the fact you can now buy AC+ for Macs. I was initially thinking this meant you could only buy regular AC for Macs (what has always been offered) in the first 60 days.

Can you help me understand? My MacBook Pro late 2016 was bought in November 2016. I was planning to buy the extended warranty around October, once I knew I was going to keep the computer for another two years. What does this article mean for me?

I thought there was only one warranty, AppleCare+ that extended Apple's limited 1year warranty. I now see that there's Apple Care "Protection Plan" and AppleCare+

What's the difference?

Thank you in advance

 

[patrickbarnes]

Don't they make you jump through hoops when you try to use their warranty services? With Apple, you just take it into the store for repairs/replacements.

Amex does not. Other issuers yes.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

I wish Apple would just ditch the one year warranty and cover everything for three years out of the box.

I doubt the profit hit will be that big, and it would show so much goodwill towards customers. I've seen VERY few Apple devices fail by themselves in the past few years, especially since Macs have moved to using mainly solid state disks.

They can continue selling AppleCare, just have it be accidental damage protection.

If they did that, there wouldn't be a profit hit - they'd bury the additional cost of coverage in the selling price (just as the cost of the one-year warranty is built into the price). The trouble is, it would make every product more expensive, or they'd have to remove other features/costs to keep the price down. They balance all the factors (warranty costs being no different than RAM costs in the big scheme), and decide what they think the consumer will value most.

 

[mattopotamus]

Can you help me understand? My MacBook Pro late 2016 was bought in November 2016. I was planning to buy the extended warranty around October, once I knew I was going to keep the computer for another two years. What does this article mean for me?

I thought there was only one warranty, AppleCare+ that extended Apple's limited 1year warranty. I now see that there's Apple Care "Protection Plan" and AppleCare+

What's the difference?

Thank you in advance

Previously you could only get AppleCare and not AppleCare+ for Macs. The primary difference being that AC+ covers accidental damage.

I would still strongly advise you get the AppleCare add on within the first year of owning your Mac. It covers manufacture defects for 3 years instead of the standard 1 year. You will not be covered for accidental damage (drop your laptop, etc), but if something goes wrong as the result of a defect (keyboard breaks, speakers, hard drive, etc) apple will fix/replace the laptop under AppleCare.

The first year of AppleCare is automatically included the extension is what you are still able to buy. Now that they added AC+ as an option people can buy that within the first 60 days of their Mac purchase. Regular AppleCare can still be purchased within the first year.

I hope that helps. Basically the same thing you can buy for your phone (AC+) is now offered for the Mac. Previously the only option was standard AppleCare which covers manufacture defects and not accidental damage.

 

[benface]

When will it be available in Canada?

 

[TheTruth101]

Never needed Apple Care. I still have my iPhone 5 working just fine and all my macs working just fine, any repair I have done it myself.

 

[mattopotamus]

Never needed Apple Care. I still have my iPhone 5 working just fine and all my macs working just fine, any repair I have done it myself.

little more difficult to do with Macs having everything soldered and possible touchbar. Ifix it gives it a 1/10 for repairability.

 

[ZMacintosh]

Both are available. You can still purchase regular AC for up to 1 year after the purchase of the computer. Just did it last week on my iMac I bought in 2016.

No I'm specifically referring to 2017 models.

 

[ignatius345]

Apple Care+ is nice if you need the accidental damage warranty. However, the base Apple Care is a waste of money. I buy all of my goods with either my CITI Bank or Discover card. Both of which extend the manufacturer's warranty by an additional 1 and 2 years respectively. And you only need to purchase a portion of the good on the preferred card. I think my AMEX does the same but I haven't used it for that purposes. Point being, use the free service with your credit card while saving money with piece of mind.

This is interesting. I bought my iMac on my Citi card. Have you used the warranty under this credit card-based extension? I wonder if it's as easy as Apple makes it or you have to jump through additional hoops, get reimbursed, etc?
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Of course it's only when I purchase Apple Care+ that I never end up needing it. It's when I missed the window of opportunity that my iPhone fell into the pool or when my kids knocked the iMac off the table breaking the screen. Murphy's Law prevailed.

That's kind of the nature of insurance, unfortunately. I have AppleCare+ on my iPhone and I stubbornly never manage to break it to get my money's worth

 

[aaronhead14]

Stupid. No point in making AppleCare better in some areas while making it worse in others. It should be improved all around.

 

[reserves]

Only in the USA it seems.

Not available in uk

 

[Mlrollin91]

No I'm specifically referring to 2017 models.

As I said. Both are available. So does the article.

As for the Mac, customers who have had their Macs for longer than 60 days but less than a year are not eligible for AppleCare+ but are still able to purchase a standard AppleCare Protection Plan, MacRumors has learned. Apple is only offering AppleCare+ for Mac on its website, so customers will need to call in to Apple Support to make the standard AppleCare purchase. Standard Mac AppleCare is priced at $149 to $349, depending on the machine.

Your original post also mentions nothing about 2017.

 

[JohnnyApple$eed]

Don't they make you jump through hoops when you try to use their warranty services? With Apple, you just take it into the store for repairs/replacements.

I haven't had issue and you can opt to pay for a repair and be reimbursed. All I am saying is look into the perks with your credit cards because they are loaded with them and most people aren't aware. Travel perks are there too like insurance on standard rental cars (no SUVs or tricks)!

 

[GREEN4U]

Don't they make you jump through hoops when you try to use their warranty services? With Apple, you just take it into the store for repairs/replacements.

It's not that difficult. I've had my apple power cord reimbursed through my credit card company. You just have to scan your original receipt and new receipt (so they make sure you actually replaced it), and sign one of their forms.

 

[QuarterSwede]

Don't they make you jump through hoops when you try to use their warranty services? With Apple, you just take it into the store for repairs/replacements.

Bingo. That's exactly why it's worth it over all other warranty services. I don't have time to wait.

 

[mattopotamus]

I haven't had issue and you can opt to pay for a repair and be reimbursed. All I am saying is look into the perks with your credit cards because they are loaded with them and most people aren't aware. Travel perks are there too like insurance on standard rental cars (no SUVs or tricks)!

and some CCs actually offer primary insurance (you would not have to go through your insurance company).

 

[kazmac]

Interesting discussion. Good to know it's been bumped to up to 60 days for Macs too. I always buy AppleCare when I purchase a new product and when I go to sell or trade in if it's before the AC+/AC expires (and I have not used the AC+), I ask Apple for a pro-rated refund for the difference. Never a problem.

 

[mattopotamus]

Bingo. That's exactly why it's worth it over all other warranty services. I don't have time to wait.

To be fair: If you bought a $2k Mac all on your credit card, you would have $2K worth of repairs covered for free after that first year when AC expires. Say the motherboard was replaced after the first year and apple said that cost $500. You pay Apple $500 and send the receipt to your CC company and they give you a credit. With Amex, it takes about a week to get paid back.

That is literally free AC from your credit card company, with the only exception being once the repair price = the purchase price, you are no longer covered.

This is regular AppleCare, not AC+ style coverage.

 

[iMi]

Is there only one option for AppleCare at this point then? AC+ and regular AC or just AC+?

Officially AppleCare + replaces AppleCare and will be the only option. Apparently some retailers are still selling regular AppleCare on discount.

 

[JohnnyApple$eed]

This is interesting. I bought my iMac on my Citi card. Have you used the warranty under this credit card-based extension? I wonder if it's as easy as Apple makes it or you have to jump through additional hoops, get reimbursed, etc?
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That's kind of the nature of insurance, unfortunately. I have AppleCare+ on my iPhone and I stubbornly never manage to break it to get my money's worth

I was going to with my MAC but ultimately Apple fixed the issue (post warranty) since it was actually defective. prior to that I was already moving forward with CITI who had instructed me to provide an invoice with cost and confirmation the original warranty was expired. Normally you don't do the latter but since Apple offers an extended warranty (Apple Care) CITI needed to make so I hadn't bought into it. The CITI Bank and Discover extended warranties only apply 'after' the original warranty expires hence the confirmation. And I had it backwards as CITI offers 2 years additional.

Here are some highlights:
Some Details

• Coverage begins when the manufacturer’s warranty, or an extended warranty you bought, expires.

• In no event will total coverage exceed seven years from the purchase date.

What's Covered

• Purchases made with your Citi card and/or ThankYou® Points that come with a manufacturer's warranty.

What's Not Covered

• Cars, boats, aircraft or any motorized land, air or water vehicles and their original equipment. Tires are not covered.

• Items that do not come with a manufacturer’s warranty.

Look into it!!!

 

[mattopotamus]

Officially AppleCare + replaces AppleCare and will be the only option. Apparently some retailers are still selling regular AppleCare on discount.

That seems to be what is offered in store, AC+, but you can still call apple directly to obtain the old AppleCare. For how long, who knows. I would think the next year since that covers everyone under the impression you can buy AC within the first year.