Apple products come with an optional AppleCare+ extended warranty service that insures them against manufacturing defects and accidental damage.
Apple products come with an optional extended warranty service known as AppleCare+ that insures the products against manufacturing defects. Apple typically offers a 1-year limited warranty on most of its hardware products, such as iPhones and MacBooks. On top of that, buyers also get 90 additional days of complimentary tech support, but they can also opt to extend their warranty with AppleCare+.
The standard warranty comes free with the purchase of any Apple product and works similarly to the warranties available on most consumer electronics goods from any manufacturer. The timeframe, however, often varies based on the product and the region. While most Apple products ship with a 1-year standard warranty in the U.S., the Apple Watch offers a 2-year warranty. Apple promises to fix or replace the product should something go wrong within that period.
Applecare+ is Apple’s extended warranty plan, and it offers an additional period of hardware coverage, typically up to two or three years. It also provides low-cost options for some routine repairs. According to Apple, AppleCare+ for iPhone extends coverage to two years from AppleCare+ purchase date and also offers up to two incidents of accidental damage protection every 12 months. The iPhone also comes with an optional ‘AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss‘ plan that insures the device in case it is stolen or lost. It also offers up to two years of damage protection and adds up to two theft or loss coverage incidents every 12 months. For Macs, users can renew AppleCare+ protection annually once the initial three-year coverage expires.
AppleCare+: Benefits And Costs
As part of AppleCare+ for the iPhone, customers are eligible for 24/7 priority access to Apple technicians via phone or online chat. The company also promises to offer same-day repair services “in most metropolitan areas worldwide” although, this offer does not extend to the Mac. The company also provides onsite service, whereby the device can be conveniently repaired at the customer’s home or office by an Apple technician. This particular service is available for iPhones as well as desktop computers. In the case of iPhones, Apple also ships replacement devices as part of its Express Replacement Service to ensure that customers aren’t left without a phone while their device is being repaired.
It is worth noting that buying an AppleCare+ plan does not ensure a free repair, as users are still liable to pay service fees plus taxes when they take their iPhone or Mac in for repairs under AppleCare+. According to the company, users will have to pay $29 to replace the display or the glass on the back, $99 for any other accidental damage, and as much as $149 for theft or loss. This is in addition to the AppleCare+ subscription costs, which start at $7.99 or $11.99 per month for the iPhone 12/13 and goes up to $9.99 per month for the iPhone 12/13 Pro and Pro Max. The plan that covers theft and loss is $14.99 per month.
Out of warranty, screen repairs for the iPhone 13 Pro Max cost $329, while the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 cost $279. For the iPhone 13 Mini, the cost comes to $229. With AppleCare+, all eligible iPhone models can be repaired by simply paying a $29 service fee, saving between $300 and $250, depending on the model. In addition, battery replacement for devices under AppleCare+ is complimentary, while out-of-warranty devices are charged between $49 and $69 for replacement batteries, depending on the model. Finally, for any other damage, the AppleCare+ service charge is a cool $99, but out-of-warranty repairs can cost up to $599 for the iPhone 12/13 Pro Max.
Overall, AppleCare+ is very much a requirement for people who are not that careful with their devices, but for folks who use their gadgets with utmost care and use their iPhone with a protective case, it is a luxury that can be passed on to save some money. The Theft and Loss plan is especially curious because it needs the Find My iPhone option to be enabled on the device “at the time it is lost or stolen and throughout the claims process.” While that’s not a problem for lost devices, it simply doesn’t make sense for stolen iPhones as the thief will likely switch it off immediately and then try to take it apart as soon as possible, rendering Find My (and the protection plan) useless.
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