Apple Care for iphone?

[Ashlotte]

Hi Budget Board,

I just bought my first I-product (iphone 5c) and am wondering if it is worth it to shell out the extra $99 for the extended warranty. Normally I never buy extended warranties, but it seems like iphones have a much higher chance or breaking than a tv or something that would be stationary in the home.

Have you bought or used Apple Care before? I'd love to hear about your experiences.

Thanks!

 

[descovy]

To each his own but I never buy AppleCare.

I put a good case on it and call it a day.

I've had iPhones since 2010, and pass them to my young teens to get a newer model. I haven't broken a phone, and neither have they.

Remember every phone comes with a 1 yr warranty anyway. Also I believe I hear that apple care charges a deductable ($50?) when you have a claim. Look into that, because I am not 100% sure.

So to each his own, but I haven't yet found a need to spend $99 on AppleCare. 3 phones and haven't busted one yet.

 

[sherry7]

If you're determined to have a warranty, I'd get Square Trade instead. If you sign up on their site, they'll send out coupon codes. It's a much better plan than Apple Care.

Personally, I just put my phones in an Otterbox. (Cheapest on Amazon usually.) I've dropped my iPhone 5s multiple times with no ill effects.

 

[disney is my life]

When we bought my dd her 5c we got the extended warranty because it included water damage. Her first phone she dropped in the pool the first week and then in the sink a while later all leading up to her losing it at Disney in November. After everything that phone had been through we didn't want to chance it since this phone was so much more expensive than the old one. She's had it for almost 8 months and we still have not needed/used the warranty.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I also use Square Trade for all my warranties - several iPod Touches (my son's has been fixed 3 times in 3 years), 2 iPhones and my new washer. Great service.

 

[Green Tea]

AppleCare+ is worth every penny on the iPhone. I have square trade on some other things but for an iPhone go with Applecare.

My daughter's phone has been replaced five times under the policy. Manufacturing/software sort of issues are at no charge. With applecare replacements are so easy.

I have never broken one but my current has been replaced twice.

Same daughter with the bad luck also dropped it and cracked the screen. That was another replacement but with a $50 charge to do so.

With all the issues you'd think we would go Android but I stick with Apple BECAUSE of the Applecare. The phones glitch but I get a new one instantly without any hassle at all.

 

[auralia]

Square trade caps their coverage at what you paid for the divice so one it is replaced once or twice you are out of coverage

 

[eduk8r26]

I've had the iPhone 3, 4 and now the 5. Never had need for a warranty. I have the Otter Box on it now so don't worry if I drop it.

 

[blessedby3]

We bought the Apple Care when our DD(now 24) got her first iPhone about 6 years ago. We never had to use it.
We all just got iPhone's this past Nov, and instead of getting the Apple Care…I bought Otterbox or Lifeproof covers for them all instead.
We have had no issues.

 

[itutorfortravel]

OMG YES!!! It extends your warranty for an additional year! DH had his phone for over a year when he dropped it on the sidewalk downtown during a really bad storm and it literally came apart...I carried it to the Apple store in a sandwich bag and got a brand new phone for $49! (I think it's $79 now, but even so, MUCH better than replacing the phone!)

Speaking of which, when I got my iPhone, I got it from our wireless provider so I didn't know about AppleCare. I've been paying ridiculous insurance every month to cover my phone and I will definitely get AppleCare next time. Anyhow, when I took DH's phone to the Apple store, I asked about coverage for my phone if it broke now that my year warranty is up and I was told that Apple customers can always get a new replacement phone for $259, so I guess you could skip AppleCare and go that route.

Hope that helps!

 

[kjgy]

Does apple care cover lost or stolen iphone? I have insurance
through verizon for DD iphone because it covers it but I am thinking of getting myself an iphone

 

[JanaDee]

All 4 of us have iphones, none of us have Applecare. We buy good cases and haven't had any issues (2 are teens).

 

[si-am]

I got my 5c at Target and purchased the warranty/insurance they offered (can't remember the company). It's $7 a month, but worth it for the piece of mind. Otherwise, replacing a phone at retail price would be like $500. I've had a phone (non-smart) stolen before and that was an expensive hassle.

 

[supersnoop]

Does apple care cover lost or stolen iphone?

No, AppleCare does not cover lost or stolen phones.

Personally, I have neither insurance nor a case on my iPhone, and I've never had a problem. What's the worst that can happen? It goes for a swim? A case isn't going to help, and AppleCare will cost about $200 to cover it, or $500 without AppleCare. I'd rather take the risk of having to pay $500, than pay out $200 now. The other potential issue, a cracked screen, can be repaired for about half the cost of AppleCare. Insurance is supposed to cover risks that would cause you a hardship, and my phone doesn't fall into that category.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

Now that Apple Care includes accidental damage, we buy it. Prior to that change, we did not.

And Apple Care is $99 for iphones, not $200.

 

[jamounger]

I wish I had purchased it on my daughter's 5s. It cost me 270 to replace the phone that fell in the toilet. She has never had a problem before so I didn't think it would be necessary.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

I have always gotten apple care because if anything happens that isn't "accidental" damage, they just hand you a new phone no questions asked. This last time I didn't get it because of logistics but figured I'd be ok.

One month out of warranty, the power button stopped working and the battery starting going. Apple can't do anything. That was $100 to have repaired. Now a couple months later the earpiece speaker blew out. I'm opting to try to fix it myself rather than pay $50+ for a repair.

Ugh never again. The $99 is worth it to me because apple makes it so easy if anything goes wrong. I get the new phone every two years when the major release comes out and it is in sync with my contract. Buying a new phone at the unsubsidized price of $600 is not something I can stomach.

 

[robinb]

We purchase all of our expensive electronics with our AMEX card which doubles the warranty up to a year. I just used the free extended warranty for my laptop and it was super easy. It does require a bit of hoop jumping (as does Square Trade) over AppleCare but it's free! I also used to use an Otterbox but I wanted to see the back of my gold 5s so I went with a slimmer case this time.

 

[DawnM]

No, I don't purchase applecare for iPods, iPads, or phones. I do purchase it for computers.

For portable devices, I buy Otterbox cases. I drop my phone all the time! Seriously, I am worse than a toddler.

Only once did I have an issue while in an Otterbox. I had the Otterbox commuter and it dropped from my SUV to the concrete and the back glass shattered.

I now only use DEFENDERS!

 

[Ashlotte]

I'm still on the fence. My carrier is Virgin Mobile, so no contract, but I did have to pay $440 for the phone. Since I am not on a contract cycle, I don't plan to upgrade until this phone is problematic in some way, so I was thinking maybe Apple Care would extend the life of it. Although for $99 + $79 for damage, that isn't a huge savings. I am a klutz, though. I dropped my previous phone weekly, but I hated the phone, so maybe it was accidentally on purpose.

How often to iphones have non-damage issues that need repair? It should run well until they change to a new iOS, right?