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gcooldude86

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 28, 2014
324
47
Ontario, Canada
Just posting about my experience a couple days ago. I had my Apple Watch replaced due to battery issues. When I got the watch and removed my link band from the old watch to put on the new watch, the link band broke around the clasp. I couldn't snap the link in. Luckily Apple was very kind and replaced the band under AC+. However, this was an additional band I purchased. It was originally bought with a sport band. Has anyone else had their additional band covered under warranty? Was this a one time deal or is the additional bands covered under AC+?
 
I would think it's a combination - it's obvious a less than 1 year old band, Apple Watch is new, you have AC+, Apple CS rocks.
 
Whether you have AC+ or not is irrelevant: the band broke and it's well within warranty; Apple wasn't being kind, it was replacing faulty goods under warranty as it was legally obliged to do (unless it could have repaired the damaged strap, which I guess would have been possible but more hassle for both you and Apple).
 
Whether you have AC+ or not is irrelevant: the band broke and it's well within warranty; Apple wasn't being kind, it was replacing faulty goods under warranty as it was legally obliged to do (unless it could have repaired the damaged strap, which I guess would have been possible but more hassle for both you and Apple).
So does the straps come standard with one year warranty?
 
I would have thought so; if something breaks due to a manufacturing defect (which that sounds like: stuff shouldn't just fall apart), then the manufacturer should repair or replace it within whatever time period is deemed reasonable by consumer protection laws of the country in question. Is that a year in Canada, or longer? I can't see it being something they'd be checking whether you have AC+ for (similarly the black sport straps that peeled were replaced without question).
 
So does the straps come standard with one year warranty?

Yes, they do. In your case, they replaced it under the standard warranty as the AW and all its accessories aren't even one year old.

However, we have established that AC+ will also cover separately purchased bands in the second year. Whatever band is on the watch at the time of the damage will be covered regardless of whether it's the bundled band or one you purchased separately. This is really no different from iPhone accessories and the like being covered under AC+.
 
Yes, they do. In your case, they replaced it under the standard warranty as the AW and all its accessories aren't even one year old.

However, we have established that AC+ will also cover separately purchased bands in the second year. Whatever band is on the watch at the time of the damage will be covered regardless of whether it's the bundled band or one you purchased separately. This is really no different from iPhone accessories and the like being covered under AC+.
That's great to know to the bands will be covered under AC+. I know before and even shortly after the release it was unsure if extra bands would be covered under AC+
 
Standard warranty unless purchased at the same time as the watch then they seem to fall under the extended warranty from what I was told.
 
Standard warranty unless purchased at the same time as the watch then they seem to fall under the extended warranty from what I was told.

Any band that's on the watch while it's under AC+ is covered, regardless of whether it's the bundled band or a band purchased separately. We've established this in a past thread; however, many reps continue to give out incorrect information regarding this.
 
Any band that's on the watch while it's under AC+ is covered, regardless of whether it's the bundled band or a band purchased separately. We've established this in a past thread; however, many reps continue to give out incorrect information regarding this.

i don't have experience with applecare, but when you say "This is really no different from iPhone accessories and the like being covered under AC+." i assume you're referring to chargers and lightning cables, which a) come in the box and b) have no serial and therefore the one in the box is indistinguishable from the one i bought 9 months later as a spare, rather than a case. it's quite easy to distinguish between a green sports band and a blue one?

I'm just wondering where it was established (can you find that thread?) as the applecare+ terms are pretty unequivocal in saying only the watch and whats in the box will be covered under applecare+ (and therefore an extra band would not be, although i can understand if apple goes beyond it's own terms in the name of customer service... but i also worry it can't be relied on 100% of the time, especially outside the US - the number of people i've seen here and on reddit able to exchange/upgrade their launch day watches outside the US is basically 0)
 
i don't have experience with applecare, but when you say "This is really no different from iPhone accessories and the like being covered under AC+." i assume you're referring to chargers and lightning cables, which a) come in the box and b) have no serial and therefore the one in the box is indistinguishable from the one i bought 9 months later as a spare, rather than a case. it's quite easy to distinguish between a green sports band and a blue one?

The serial number is actually found on the charging brick (inside face on the very bottom), but it doesn't matter. They'll replace any charging brick/cable as long as your iPhone is under warranty. I've done it myself.

I'm just wondering where it was established (can you find that thread?) as the applecare+ terms are pretty unequivocal in saying only the watch and whats in the box will be covered under applecare+ (and therefore an extra band would not be, although i can understand if apple goes beyond it's own terms in the name of customer service... but i also worry it can't be relied on 100% of the time, especially outside the US - the number of people i've seen here and on reddit able to exchange/upgrade their launch day watches outside the US is basically 0)

It's established in a number of posts, including this one. You won't find a written policy that Apple will replace separately purchased accessories as long as your iDevice is under warranty, so AC+ terms and conditions don't mean much. What they state in writing and what they actually follow are two different things.
 
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