Is Apple care worth buying .

[sx4dude2013]

I personally have never purchased it and knock on wood to this point I have never needed it. I typically bought my phone's resale through Swappa to keep the line out of contract for the monthly discount in VZW. This is the first time I have done a device payment plan on VZW. This time I again declined apple care. I always use a case and tempered glass. Especially now with the iPhone 7 being water resistant it makes me feel even better that I declined.

Of course I do have the occasional drop. And that's where the case comes into play. I did have my 12" MacBook fall on the tile floor while it was closed. I had a hard clip on case on it and it survived. Cracked the plastic case but the Mac had no damage.

If you like your new phone naked with no protection . In my opinion apple care is a must. If you always have on a cas and tempered glass screen protector, I personally will pass on the extra apple care protection.

 

[nehavas]

What happens if there is a problem like say the battery drain or Taptic button not responding ?
The AppleCare + is for 2 yrs isn't it .

 

[sx4dude2013]

What happens if there is a problem like say the battery drain or Taptic button not responding ?
The AppleCare + is for 2 yrs isn't it .

Yes it extends the warranty for another year making the total 2 years I believe. I typically always upgrade so that isn't a factor for me. However, with this iPhone depending on what happens next year I might keep it. The MAIN 2 reasons I am upgrading my current 6s is because I am out of storage and I went with the plus for longer battery life.

 

[Aamir Mustafa]

it is good idea to buy it with your phone

 

[robertk328]

Yes it extends the warranty for another year making the total 2 years I believe. I typically always upgrade so that isn't a factor for me. However, with this iPhone depending on what happens next year I might keep it. The MAIN 2 reasons I am upgrading my current 6s is because I am out of storage and I went with the plus for longer battery life.

Extends but also adds coverage for accidental damage (no loss or theft)

 

[BlueAquarian]

Most definitely. Got my iphone 6 when it came out and broke my screen 2 weeks ago and apple exchanged my phone for 69.00. They replaced it two other times within the past two years for free with no questions asked. Will never go without Apple Care.

 

[Nakia Johnson1]

Apple care is worth it

 

[Craig]

Apple care is worth it

Hassle for me.. is there is no Apple store even close. To get to an Apple store, it's basically an overnight trip and a hotel. :-(

 

[RECON1]

Hassle for me.. is there is no Apple store even close. To get to an Apple store, it's basically an overnight trip and a hotel. :-(

You can call in to purchase and add it.

 

[dejanh]

With the added water resistance, no. The cost of the plan plus the cost of the replacement for the screen will cost you about the same as if you did the screen replacement without the plan. Other damage that can occur is so unlikely that the insurance policy is a very expensive proposition.

 

[Craig]

You can call in to purchase and add it.

Yes, but if my phone has damage.. they always say I have to bring it to the Apple Store after making an appointment at the Genius (use that term loosely) bar. It's too far to go for warranty. I don't recall if it can be "mailed in" not sure.

 

[RECON1]

Yes, but if my phone has damage.. they always say I have to bring it to the Apple Store after making an appointment at the Genius (use that term loosely) bar. It's too far to go for warranty. I don't recall if it can be "mailed in" not sure.

I think if I do finally decide to go ahead and buy it I'll just call in right after i set up my phone

 

[anony_mouse]

This is the only one you need to read.
How many times have you broken a phone, or had a phone fail on you in the past? (Exclude lost or stolen phones - they are not covered by Apple Care) What was the cost of replacing or fixing the phone? For replacements, subtract $80 as that's what Apple will charge you if you have Apple Care. Let's call that this cost A.
How much would Apple Care have cost you in that time (price seems to be $129 per two years)? Let's call this cost B.

If A > B (i.e. the cost Apple Care would have saved is greater than that cost of Apple Care over that time), then it's probably worth buying it.
If A < B, then do not buy Apple Care.

Example for myself: I've had a mobile phone or a smart phone for 18 years. I have never had a phone fail (during the first two years), and I have never seriously damaged a phone. So Apple Care would have saved me $0.
In that time, Apple Care would have cost me 9*$129=$1161. That's enough for two brand new, top of the range iPhones, or a lot of repairs.
On the other hand, I know people who break their phone and have it replaced every year (also see examples above). I am not personally prepared to subsidise their carelessness. So I never by extended warranties.

Actually it's a bit more complex than that - if the phone fails in the first year it should be covered by the manufacturer's warranty anyway. In many countries, I would expect the manufacturer to fix it in the first two years, or even longer. So Apple Care is actually poorer value than this post suggests.

 

[Annie_M]

I am always on the fence about this. We never by the extended warranty on products. However, given all the bad things that can happen to a small device, I really am leaning to buying Apple Care on my next iPhone. I do have one question though. Do you have to purchase a separate plan for each device?

 

[toramorigan]

I work in the cellular industry, and I would definitely say that yes, it's worth it.

$129 for peace of mind, and knowing you're covered for two full years. They now made it even better, now that it's $29 for a cracked screen replacement, (instead of the original $79/$99,) and $99 if your phone decides to take a drink or run out in front of your car.

I mean, here's the current pricing for accidental damage, or if your phone decides to sod off after the one year warranty:

Display Replacement: $129, (iPhone 6s Plus, and possibly 7 Plus is $149.)
Whole Unit Replacement: iPhone 5/5c/5s/SE, $269; iPhone 6/6s(/7?), $299, iPhone 6 Plus/6s Plus(/7 Plus?), $329
Battery: $79

A couple of other things to keep in mind:

- The only thing insurance through your carrier is good for is if your phone is lost or stolen.

- If you happen to get a lemon phone and Apple swaps it out, the remainder of that original 1-year warranty is transferred to the new device, it does not restart. However, if your warranty is about to expire and they provide a repair, or a whole unit replacement, then you get 90 days starting from that day to protect against any additional issues.

- 1 Year Limited Warranty means just that: one-year, period. No manufacturer is obligated to provide any sort of exception once your warranty runs out. Most people have their phones for two years, so this is where I was talking about that peace of mind from getting AC+.

- Now, there is an exception when it comes to batteries. If you don't have AC+, but you have a swollen battery within the first two years, Apple covers that with a replacement device at no charge, after two years, it's only $79--the cost of a battery repair.

 

[Sgooter]

If the phone is purchased with certain credit cards, e.g. Discover, an extra year of warranty coverage from the card company if often included. Interestingly, Discover told me today, verbally, that purchasing AC+ via Discover will effectively add another year to the AC+ warranty. Of course, consult your card company first. Filing a claim with a card company will entail some effort in gathering the required documentation (purchase receipt, repair estimate, etc.), and this can be simple or very time consuming depending on how well you keep records + the card company's internal bureaucracy. I value my time at $50/hr, so I estimate and compare my time/value expended vs the warranty cost vs the repair/replacement cost, then decide which is the better deal. I think the best deal is IF you truly can buy AC+ with the right credit card (Discover) and get another year of AC-like warranty coverage from that card company.

 

[Ariza16]

I'm on the fence about this, I have insurance through my carrier and it covers me about the same as Apple Care. and gives me a new phone due to theft or loss as well. Plus i get to upgrade every year so i don't need the extra year. But it's definitely a safety net because... you never know what can happen. Better be safe.

 

[Prakhar Mohan1]

Apple care is worth buying. And I might say you should go for Apple care + if it is available in your country. In India only apple care is available . I have bought 3 and is totally worth it .

 

[pkcable]

I got Apple Care way back when... then oddly I switched to Square Trade... totally forgot about them, wonder if they're still around. I have not used anything since maybe the iPhone 5s warranty ran out. Sometimes easier to put a rider on your home policy with a $100 deductible if lost or stolen. From what I saved in not buying Apple Care last few years, if I do damage a phone, fixing it will be a break even at this point.

Square Trade IS still around, they are a close second to Apple Care as to customer service BUT they have 1 key advantage they cover loss due to theft or loss, Apple Care does not. They make you jump through a hoop or two more than Apple, BUT they offer fine coverage for iPhones and many other devices!

https://forums.imore.com/e?link=htt...3A%2F%2Fwww.squaretrade.com%2F&token=kkG7nqXF

 

[Craig]

Square Trade IS still around, they are a close second to Apple Care as to customer service BUT they have 1 key advantage they cover loss due to theft or loss, Apple Care does not. They make you jump through a hoop or two more than Apple, BUT they offer fine coverage for iPhones and many other devices!

Thanks for the link.. oddly it shows it does not cover Loss or Theft. If they did, that would make me for sure purchase it.