Normally I bought AC+ for iphone and ipad, Thinking about not buying it for my 13 mini, because apple won't replace battery unless 80% battery health or below. Any way to buy OEM battery and install myself? I'm planning to keep this mini as long as I can until they have 120hz or something small and light iphone.
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iPhone 13 mini Reason not buying AC+
- Thread starter ray6088
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Apple hates customers repairing their devices, so oem battery purchase unlikely. You can check iFixit but no guarantee.
Apple now has theoretically indefinite applecare through monthly payment if you like.
There will probably be no more mini iPhone so 120Hz etc is likely not going to happen.
Apple now has theoretically indefinite applecare through monthly payment if you like.
There will probably be no more mini iPhone so 120Hz etc is likely not going to happen.
Is it any way to drain battery health from 90% to 80% in a week or two
Honestly, unless you're clumsy with devices or have exceptionally bad luck, you don't need AppleCare+. In my lifetime of using Apple products, I've only had to pay for repairs once (for my notoriously shoddy 2016 nTB Pro). Everything else that's ever gone wrong with my stuff has been covered under extended warranties or repair programs because they've been manufacturing faults.
Express Replacement is the big feature you get with AC+ in my mind. Not having to be without your phone is fantastic.
Express Replacement no longer exists right now with the shortage. Took Apple a week to replace my iPhone 12 Pro because they apparently didn't have any 256GB phones they could send me.
Just the ability to change the battery alone suffices for AppleCare + and you get the added benefit of accidental damage.
I’ve had my phones, batteries, MacBook screen, keyboard, battery, chassis replaced on various occasions thanks to AppleCare +.
Is it any way to drain battery health from 90% to 80% in a week or two
Why? Just wait until you hit that 80% mark, then go in for a battery replacement, paid or in warranty, whatever comes first.
It’s not like 80% battery health is a death warrant. Battery would conk out after 4 hours instead of 5 with an 80% health rating. So what
Genuine question - have you ever done the math to see if your battery replacements and repairs would have cost you more than your AppleCare did? I ask because I have and the math definitely works out in favour of not getting AppleCare for me. Maybe it’s different for you, I’m just curious.
You're probably the best person to judge whether or not you'll need it. If you're the type to never drop your phone or get scratches on it, then there's probably little reason to opt for it now. If you know you're clumsy or just like having the peace of mind, then go for it.
If you're after damage protection, then maybe it's worth looking into other insurance offerings as an alternative. I was able to find some that are cheaper.
If you're after damage protection, then maybe it's worth looking into other insurance offerings as an alternative. I was able to find some that are cheaper.
You don't need AC+ to get your battery replaced. I've never had AC+ and have sent my phone to Apple to get a new battery in the past. I will be doing the same soon for my XS before I hand it off to a family member. It costs $70, which is a lot less than paying for AC+ just so I can have my battery replaced for free. It also doesn't matter what the battery health percentage is when going this route. My XS is currently sitting at 83%.
You can start a battery replacement here:
iPhone Battery Replacement - Apple Support
Need more power? An Apple Store or Authorized Service Provider near you can replace your iPhone battery. See the associated cost by coverage type.
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The cost of the items I’ve had replaced over the years would cost me more for out of warranty repair from Apple. The 2 accidental damage is a solid peace of mind for me. You can’t put a tangible value on that.
I’m not talking about the value of the item, but more so the price that you would have had to pay to repair whatever was actually wrong (unless of course every device you’ve owned ends up getting totaled).
I’ve never bought AC+ in all the years I’ve owned iPods, iPhones and iPads. My property is insured through my home and the idea of giving Apple hundreds of pounds for insurance policies doesn’t sit right with me. My iPhone is in a case and I’ve never smashed a screen or damaged an iPhone. Perhaps I’ve been lucky with the products I’ve owned as they sound a lot more reliable than your experience. My wife has been using Mac’s since the mid 90’s and never needed a repair or replacement. If the worst happened I think I’d rather use the money I’ve saved not buying AC+ or let my insurance sort it out.
I did buy AC+ this year but to be honest I have to say… todays AppleCare+ is not as valuable as it used to be.
Modern AC+ Issues:
- Apple Stores are encouraged to deny most claims
- Apple Store Geniuses are no longer product experts/techs
- Warranty : Product cost ratio is very high
- Accessories no longer covered (Cables, Cases, Charger etc)
- Very strict 79% Battery Replacement rule
- Lower Battery Replacement cost ($69 is very reasonable)
- No coverage for water damage (despite advertising water-resistance)
- Phone casing/glass more durable. Especially with a case
- Chat Support > Store Genius
Personal experience is anecdotal since quality of support is regional but it’s become a common experience to get constant service denial in cases where they were previously approved with no question. Its not nearly as bad as service from other companies, but its far from the extended courtesies that AC+ used to get you in the past.
Modern AC+ Issues:
- Apple Stores are encouraged to deny most claims
- Apple Store Geniuses are no longer product experts/techs
- Warranty : Product cost ratio is very high
- Accessories no longer covered (Cables, Cases, Charger etc)
- Very strict 79% Battery Replacement rule
- Lower Battery Replacement cost ($69 is very reasonable)
- No coverage for water damage (despite advertising water-resistance)
- Phone casing/glass more durable. Especially with a case
- Chat Support > Store Genius
Personal experience is anecdotal since quality of support is regional but it’s become a common experience to get constant service denial in cases where they were previously approved with no question. Its not nearly as bad as service from other companies, but its far from the extended courtesies that AC+ used to get you in the past.
To be fair, they seem to push that 79% rule on battery replacements even when you’re paying! I had to argue with the Apple Store rep for about 20 minutes when I was paying to replace my S0 Apple Watch battery a few years back. It was annoying as I’m paying so if the replacement is “useless” then that’s my call to make IMHO…
That being said, you can always us an Express Replacement if you’re having any issues with your covered device. I did this when I had issues with my iPhone 12 Pro a few weeks ago. This gets you a phone with a fresh battery without needing to spend time in the store and the whole process was handled via iMessage.
But I agree that Apple Care+ value for damage is less so with the durability if the 12+. I dropped my 12 Pro from about 5 feet up face first onto concrete (I don‘t use cases). Freaked out my brother, but I was like “meh. I have Apple Care+” and picked up the phone and only mark is a tiny scratch on the SS band on the side that’s hard to see. The screen is unharmed.
The nice thing about that is that since so many people purchase Apple Care+ Apple has an incentive to save themselves money by increasing phone durability which is a positive for all of us. Now that they also extend it beyond 2 years with renewals for longer periods also bodes well for everyone as they have a strong incentive to ensure durability doesn’t stop when Apple Care+ expires.
That said, for me I currently still buy it. That may change in the future though.
Weird. For my iPhone 11 I had 2 weeks until AC+ expired and was at 80%. They said my only options were to either wait for 79% or pay the $69. I installed Pokemon Go and finally got that last 1%. It worked out since I got my battery replaced under AC+ but in the end I paid $199 for that AC+ battery when I could have just paid the $69.
We had an iPhone 12Pro on a tripod fall face forward onto a rock while hiking. Screen looked shattered to pieces but it turned out only the screen protector was damaged and underneath the 12pro screen looked perfect. These phones really are a lot tougher than they used to be.