Your teen's cellphone breaks, do you...

[soccerdad72]

We replaced our older son's phone the first time he dropped one - he had gone 2+ years without an incident and we had the phone under insurance, so we paid the deducible on that one. A few months later, he cracked the screen on the replacement - that one, he paid for himself as he still hadn't put it in the Otterbox that he had sitting in his room.

 

[mom2rtk]

I edited my post to clarify. Warranty 1 year + Apple Care 2 years, so three years. Apple Care + covers accidents, that's the one you'd want. If she were to break the phone in the first year (or after) it would be covered with a fee. Here is a break down. https://www.apple.com/support/products/iphone.html

I'm still confused. Does that $99 fee cover the 3 years? Or do you pay annually?

 

[ddminct]

I edited my post to clarify. Warranty 1 year + Apple Care 2 years, so three years. Apple Care + covers accidents, that's the one you'd want. If she were to break the phone in the first year (or after) it would be covered with a fee. Here is a break down. https://www.apple.com/support/products/iphone.html

Apple Care extends it 2 years from the date of purchase.

Every iPhone comes with one year of hardware repair coverage through its limited warranty and up to 90 days of complimentary support. AppleCare+ for iPhone extends your coverage to two years from the original purchase date of your iPhone1 and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $29 for screen damage, or $99 for any other damage, plus applicable tax.2 In addition, you’ll get 24/7 priority access to Apple experts via chat or phone.

 

[mom2rtk]

We replaced our older son's phone the first time he dropped one - he had gone 2+ years without an incident and we had the phone under insurance, so we paid the deducible on that one. A few months later, he cracked the screen on the replacement - that one, he paid for himself as he still hadn't put it in the Otterbox that he had sitting in his room.

Seems only fair.

 

[ddminct]

I'm still confused. Does that $99 fee cover the 3 years? Or do you pay annually?

It's a one time fee

 

[mom2rtk]

It's a one time fee

Thanks. That sounds like the way to go.

 

[ddminct]

Thanks. That sounds like the way to go.

And just to point out it extends it 2 years from date of purchase.

 

[wenrob]

I'm still confused. Does that $99 fee cover the 3 years? Or do you pay annually?

Just once. I misunderstood the coverage. Still $99 for two years is a good deal IMO.

Apple Care extends it 2 years from the date of purchase.

Oops, my bad. I will edit. Thanks.

 

[wenrob]

My apologies for the confusion on Apple Care +. Still $99 for two years and direct service from Apple is better than a monthly fee from a carrier IMO.

 

[mom2rtk]

And just to point out it extends it 2 years from date of purchase.

Just once. I misunderstood the coverage. Still $99 for two years is a good deal IMO.

Oops, my bad. I will edit. Thanks.

Still a decent deal. Coverage through t-mobile has to start within 14 days of purchase and is $12/month.

 

[wenrob]

Still a decent deal. Coverage through t-mobile has to start within 14 days of purchase and is $12/month.

It doesn't cover theft or loss but I don't think anyone does do they?

 

[mi*vida*loca]

It doesn't cover theft or loss but I don't think anyone does do they?

My XH has lost his phone and received a new one through Verizon insurance. $11 a month in insurance and then $169 deductible for a new phone.

 

[wilkeliza]

It looks like AppleCare needs to be added within 60 days of purchase. When we get new phones I may get it. It doesn't seem like a bad deal and is way better than the insurance offered through the phone company.

Just to make things even more confusing you can actually get apple care as a monthly fee now. I have mine through best buy and pay $8 a month because I have my phone on a monthly lease iphone forever plan. So when the new iPhone comes out I just hand the old one back in (doesn't matter if it has been 6 months or a year) and my apple care stays active for whatever phone I have. You can get this plan on most carriers now and even directly through apple.

 

[wilkeliza]

It doesn't cover theft or loss but I don't think anyone does do they?

Sprint covers theft or loss but they 12 a month compared to apple care at 8.

 

[wenrob]

My XH has lost his phone and received a new one through Verizon insurance. $11 a month in insurance and then $169 deductible for a new phone.

Sprint covers theft or loss but they 12 a month compared to apple care at 8.

Huh, learn something new everyday. That would be something to consider. The Apple Care on our 7's is rolled into the payment with Apple finance.

 

[Hikergirl]

I have paid to fix my ds's phone once because the accident was not entirely his fault. The second time it was, so he paid to fix it. If its your fault- you are paying. If you lie to me about it being your fault- you are going without an iphone and you are using one of the old junkers we have around until you can buy your own iphone and pay the bill every month.

 

[Klayfish]

Our kids got smart phones that came free with our initial sign up with our carrier. They're androids and were "old" technology when we got them, hence why they were free. So while we certainly teach them to take care of them like they were expensive things, they're not. Both of my boys already had their break. They were $25 to replace, no big deal. DD9 still has her original one...which she's had for 2.5 years now. About time to replace it, and it'll be replaced with another cheap android. They don't need a fancy phone, the android they have is capable of doing what they need...plus I despise Apple products and wouldn't get them if they were dirt cheap anyway.

 

[DawnM]

2014. Nobody in our household had a smart phone before then. Well, that isn't correct. DD was going to school in England 2013-2014 and she bought a pay as you go phone there that was a smart phone. But is was a model not sold here, it had a very small screen and she paid $50 for it. Phones and service are dirt cheap in England.
Both kids bought their own Smartphones in 2014. In 2016 they both replaced their smart phones out of their own pocket and spun themselves off on their own plans.
DW and I are still using our Samsung Galaxy S4's. Working just fine and we can't justify replacing them. We did just pop for new batteries....$7 each since we were having to charge them every other day rather than twice a week..

No, I mean when did you buy them flip phones?

 

[ahutton]

When DD was in 5th grade she went to a friend's house; she fell in the pool with her phone in her pocket. She lied, said she got that wet and her phone died riding her bike through a sprinkler. We later learned she had fallen in the pool and they had tried to dry it, put it in rice, and delayed coming home for two hours while the kids tried to solve it and come up with a story. We had her pay the cost of replacing the phone in chores around the house and replaced the phone. Had she told the truth, it was an accident, it was in the Otterbox (Defender - those are not waterproof, or were not at the time) and come right home so Dad could try to save it, we would have paid for it. Then it would have been an accident, and mistakes happen. The reason she had to work it off was because she lied and tried to hide it.

 

[tvguy]

No, I mean when did you buy them flip phones?

Flips came when DD turned 16, so 2007.