Would you get the iPhone Warranty?

[mikelan6]

Hi everyone!

I've had my iPhone (the original version) for almost a year now and the warranty is about to expire. They've offered me an extended warranty for about $70.00. I normally don't take the extended warranties on smaller items, but I think the iPhone is special since it does so much and is quite pricey.

Would you get the extended warranty? Have you had any experience with this?

Thanks for your advice ... Michael

 

[GabbyMom]

I'm glad I took the extra insurence on my itouch. I've had to replace it twice in a year.

The first time was my fault, (I dropped it somewhere wet ), but the second time the black censor on the back of my itouch ws starting to come off, and the paint around the face was chipping off. without the apple insurence I wouldn't have been able to do that.

I'd get it just in case.

 

[OKW Lover]

I didn't. I've never found those things to be worth it. Yes, if you need them its good, but I've never needed one. I figure I'm substantially ahead of the game at this point.

 

[Bell30012]

Michael, I think yours is a case where I would not spend the money to cover it for another year. My reason being the cost of the new i-Phone 3G really isn't that high. Let's say you did purchase it and 11 months from now you break your original i-Phone. Apple is going to replace your phone with an exactly the same restored model. By that time there will be at least one more upgrade.

Whereas if you just put that $70 bucks away you could easily buy an original i-Phone on e-Bay by that time probably cheaper or better yet use it to buy a newer model.

 

[noladave]

We bought it, simply becuase of the cost of replacement with the Iphone 3G. Have you priced that? VERY, VERY, expensive - not the $199 or $299 - remember, that's the price with a 2 year contract. I heard it was $599 and $699 to replace the Iphone 3G.

Is that really the price? Could you negotiate a better price? Who knows, but I don't want to have to come up with $500, if it really is true. If it can be fixed, it will probably be cheaper, but even a battery can be an expensive fix on these things.

As much as I love my Iphone, Apple really bent the customers over - you have to hand it to them, they have a real profit machine.

 

[MM32830]

We bought it, simply becuase of the cost of replacement with the Iphone 3G. Have you priced that? VERY, VERY, expensive - not the $199 or $299 - remember, that's the price with a 2 year contract. I heard it was $599 and $699 to replace the Iphone 3G.

Is that really the price? Could you negotiate a better price? Who knows, but I don't want to have to come up with $500, if it really is true. If it can be fixed, it will probably be cheaper, but even a battery can be an expensive fix on these things.

I just bought an iPhone last month. Fantastic piece of technology. I didn't buy the warranty.

AT&T may have a similar policy that Verizon has (it's worth asking). With Verizon, if your phone breaks after the one year warranty expires but before the 2 year contract is up, you can upgrade (get a new phone) for the upgrade price IF you sign up for another 2 year contract. It's one way to keep you in a contract.

Before buying that warranty, ask AT&T if they have a similar policy.



________________
Armand

 

[Willow1213]

I heard it was $599 and $699 to replace the Iphone 3G.

The replacement cot of the iPhone 3G is $399 and $499 and it will renew your contract.

AT&T may have a similar policy that Verizon has (it's worth asking). With Verizon, if your phone breaks after the one year warranty expires but before the 2 year contract is up, you can upgrade (get a new phone) for the upgrade price IF you sign up for another 2 year contract. It's one way to keep you in a contract.

Before buying that warranty, ask AT&T if they have a similar policy.



________________
Armand

AT&T does not have this same policy. That's why we recommend the AppleCare warranty. I would not recommend purchasing with the original iPhone since you can replace it with a 3G for $199 or $299. Advice from an AT&T sales rep who loves her iPhone 3G (with AppleCare!)

 

[CHES94]

Yep....try having to replace your iPhone two weeks after you got it!! It was sooo nice when my beautiful piece of technology turned into a frozen screen brick and NO amount of coaxing (ok, cussing really) made it come back to life, to just walk in the apple store and have them hand me a new phone.......well spent money!

Apple did tell me though, the only thing that is NOT covered is water damage. They even have a little device (blue light something) to inspect the phone to make sure no water is detected!

 

[wilde_oscar]

yes, having gone though two and my BF three... the warranty is worth it

 

[lorax123]

If your phone did 'brick' after 2 weeks, and you didn't drop it in a bucket of water, it would still be replaced! The extended warranty would have no extra bearing on the replacement, since it is under the factory warranty.

From what I hear, any hint of water or drop damage voids any of the warranties. Manufacturer or extended. Those are my 2 main concerns. If anybody knows anything differently, I'd be like to know. I'd pay the $70 if it covered those accidents. From what I've read the extended only covers hardware defects and battery.

After one year of solid use and you don't have issues, the odds are very good you DON'T need an extended warranty.

From my online searches, battery replacement runs about $70. Which is the same price as a warranty. But the odds are good, most people won't need a battery replacement.

If you do more searching you find people that have already come up with a cheap repair for cracked glass screens. they don't look pretty, but they do work.

 

[SGB13]

Dropped my original face down on a brick. We payed the $212 for an upgrade and got 3Gs and extended our contract. My husband had an original also, so we did his as well and had an extra original phone out of the deal. Our original phones were only about 8 months old. I do want to look in to covering it thru my insurance company now though. Can't upgrade again if I break another screen!

 

[CHES94]

Did I forget to mention my brick was caused because I dropped it at work running down the hall to a code?

 

[Disneybridein2k3]

DH tried to buy me an iPhone tonight from the same salesman where I bought his phone at Christmas and when he called, the salesman said they HAVE to sell the warranty with the phone now. If the ice clears up, we are going to a different store tomorrow.

 

[simonkodousek]

I think it's a good idea to get the extended warranty or protection plan on any kind of cell phone, especially smartphones like the Blackberry or the iPhone. $70 seems reasonable to me, so I would definitely go for it.

 

[Wvugrrrl]

I'm another who would go with buying the warranty. I had an 1st generation iPhone, and from keeping it in my back pocket, the screen began to crack. I was able to take it to an Apple store, where they replaced it no questions asked (well, actually...the "Genius" did ask me how it cracked to satisfy his own curiosity).

A week later, the 3G models came out, and my husband and I went ahead and bought new ones, extending our contract. I was able to sell my 1st gen iPhone on Ebay for $750...more than making up for the price I paid for it.

So, long story short - if you can't imagine life without your iPhone (and I definitely can't), then buy the insurance. (And keep it away from the bathtub! )

 

[lorax123]

Here's information regarding problems with the touch screen:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-10115666-233.html

I'm curious, sounds like a few of you guys went into the apple store and got them to repair cracked screens? They will replace/fix that? I've read a few reports that others were SOL regarding screen breakage.

 

[Wvugrrrl]

When we took mine in, the Genius said, "Yours isn't the first we've seen cracking, even though they're not supposed to. What's your story?" I told him it wasn't due to dropping; and that I always carry my phone in my back pocket; at the time, I was working a fairly active job (chasing after teenagers at a youth shelter).

He didn't care to elaborate on what everyone else was bringing their cracked screens in for; just went in the back and brought out a NIB iPhone. I'm surprised that some would be SOL on the cracking issue, because from what I've read in the contract , it's mainly any kind of liquid damage that's strictly not covered.

 

[cyberbox2]

As an Apple store employee I can tell you that it is well worth the $69!

I bought it on my own iPhone (before I was an employee) and had to use it this past November. The Genius bar tech's have so many more options for you if you have Apple Care.

GET IT!

 

[girli565]

I agree!! Buy it. I walked in with a battery issue, short life, and without question the Genius opened a drawer, pulled out a NIB iPhone and replaced mine with no issues.

I'm still within my year so I haven't had to buy it yet but I will when I get to my year. It's worth the $70!

Does anyone know a company other than State Farm (who no longer offer iPhone insurance but used to) who offers ins coverage for the iPhone?

 

[mandymommy4]

i am glad i found this thread.... I was at walmart and stopped by electronics to play with eh iPhone and the sales boy was doing a crappy job "selling me" on one. I am already sold but he doesn't know that. He swore up and down that there is NO warranty available for the iPhone and that is the main reason he wont own one. I wanted to say that i read on this Disney discussion forum that you could but i figured i would draw a blank look

One more reason to go to the apple store to by my iPhone. (when my contract expires in May )