Why you need AppleCare+ to protect your new iPhone X
Apple's iPhone X demands not only a higher purchase price, but also comes with a more expensive AppleCare+ coverage charge. If you managed to snag a copy, you'll want to spring for the warranty plan. AppleInsider explains why.
When preorders for the iPhone X opened, it only took ten minutes for shipments of Apple's flagship device to slip beyond the scheduled Nov. 3 launch date. An hour later and those estimates rose to 4 to 5 weeks.
It's not surprising, as the hotly anticipated handset boasts a complete redesign with Apple's first edge-to-edge smartphone OLED screen and advanced facial recognition technology. In fact, production of the screen and Face ID sensors are believed to be main causes of iPhone X supply shortages.
Dropping and shattering your iPhone's screen isn't the same anymore. With iPhone X, you now run the risk of damaging not only the Super Retina OLED, but also the sensitive TrueDepth camera that powers Face ID. Without that, you've pretty much got a cracked iPhone 8, but without Touch ID, leaving a manually-entered code as your only means of unlocking the device.
To make it even worse, if you don't have AppleCare+, it will cost you $279 to replace the screen, $110 more than iPhone 8 Plus.
On top of that, it costs $549 for other iPhone X repairs like liquid damage, more than half the price of the iPhone itself, and $150 more than the same repair on an 8 Plus.
Although AppleCare+ costs $199 for the iPhone X, it's only $50 more than on the 8 Plus. We argue the cost to benefit ratio is worth it.
With AppleCare+, you pay the same $29 premium for screen repairs, just as you would for any other iPhone. And the same goes for more serious iPhone damage, with out of pocket costs coming in at $99.
Users who don't like using cases and trust themselves enough to not need AppleCare+ should really think twice when it comes to the iPhone X. Anything could happen, and you could be left with a broken TrueDepth camera.
The $199 price for AppleCare+ might sound a bit hefty, but if you factor in not needing a screen protector and case, that's a minimum savings of $60 if you're buying directly from Apple.
If you are planning to buy AppleCare+, you should definitely be purchasing the iPhone X using Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program. It's basically an interest-free loan, so you'll pay exactly the same amount as you would if you bought the combo outright.
So that means the $199 for AppleCare+ becomes $8.29 a month, the same price as a couple coffees. The best part of the deal is that you can upgrade to next year's new iPhone release completely free of charge. The iPhone X with included AppleCare+ and free iPhone upgrades every year will run you just under $50 a month before taxes.
When preorders for the iPhone X opened, it only took ten minutes for shipments of Apple's flagship device to slip beyond the scheduled Nov. 3 launch date. An hour later and those estimates rose to 4 to 5 weeks.
It's not surprising, as the hotly anticipated handset boasts a complete redesign with Apple's first edge-to-edge smartphone OLED screen and advanced facial recognition technology. In fact, production of the screen and Face ID sensors are believed to be main causes of iPhone X supply shortages.
Dropping and shattering your iPhone's screen isn't the same anymore. With iPhone X, you now run the risk of damaging not only the Super Retina OLED, but also the sensitive TrueDepth camera that powers Face ID. Without that, you've pretty much got a cracked iPhone 8, but without Touch ID, leaving a manually-entered code as your only means of unlocking the device.
To make it even worse, if you don't have AppleCare+, it will cost you $279 to replace the screen, $110 more than iPhone 8 Plus.
On top of that, it costs $549 for other iPhone X repairs like liquid damage, more than half the price of the iPhone itself, and $150 more than the same repair on an 8 Plus.
Although AppleCare+ costs $199 for the iPhone X, it's only $50 more than on the 8 Plus. We argue the cost to benefit ratio is worth it.
With AppleCare+, you pay the same $29 premium for screen repairs, just as you would for any other iPhone. And the same goes for more serious iPhone damage, with out of pocket costs coming in at $99.
Users who don't like using cases and trust themselves enough to not need AppleCare+ should really think twice when it comes to the iPhone X. Anything could happen, and you could be left with a broken TrueDepth camera.
The $199 price for AppleCare+ might sound a bit hefty, but if you factor in not needing a screen protector and case, that's a minimum savings of $60 if you're buying directly from Apple.
If you are planning to buy AppleCare+, you should definitely be purchasing the iPhone X using Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program. It's basically an interest-free loan, so you'll pay exactly the same amount as you would if you bought the combo outright.
So that means the $199 for AppleCare+ becomes $8.29 a month, the same price as a couple coffees. The best part of the deal is that you can upgrade to next year's new iPhone release completely free of charge. The iPhone X with included AppleCare+ and free iPhone upgrades every year will run you just under $50 a month before taxes.
Comments
2) Is this in lieu of getting AC+?
Bought our iPhone Xs last night through Verizon's** annual upgrade plan, as many of you struggled to make your purchases through Apple, AT&T, Sprint etc. Was confirmed by 3:01:30 AM Eastern Time. And they don't build in an extra $200 for AppleCare like Apple does.
My wife and I have had six iPhones each and have never broken a screen. A lot of wasted AppleCare went towards our first five.
*Wells Fargo is one of the most evil banks in the U.S. But I use them, they don't use me.
**Verizon is a giant ripoff, as are all U.S. carriers. See: Most European carriers and many Asian carriers. We Americans are suckers.
https://www.wellsfargo.com/credit-cards/features/cell-phone-protection/
Maximum of 2 claims per year, so 2 x $600.
Cracked the screen two times. DIY repair in 10 minutes for <$100. I'll take care of my X and if I drop and crack it I consider it just punishment for my clumsiness.
Saved a lot of money NOT buying apple care.
The point of insurance is risk mitigation for situations that are financially difficult or catastrophic (health, car, house). For a relatively cheap piece of consumer electronics it's a weird expense IMO.
I was all like what the hell is a “creen acemen”?
"Find My iPhone" and carrier IMEI Blocking aren't very effective at recovering stolen phones. Apple has chosen not to provide a method for customers to remotely power on their phones to erase and brick them or to cause them to do that to themselves if they're powered on with a new SIM after their serial number has been reported to Apple as stolen.
Meanwhile, thieves will pull the phone right out of your hands, even if it's plugged-in to a charger. They power off the phones if they're locked and ship them (thru middle men) to other areas that have carrier tools to allow them to be reused with a new Apple ID inspite or even an IMEI blacklist.
Such theft claims can affect your home owner's or other general insurance rates for many years.
But the cellular carriers do cover theft or loss with their otherwise less desirable insurance policies, so that's what I use.
So, you're willing to bet $199 up-front in order to forgo the possibility of maybe having to pay $279 later - with the $29 service charge that's 82% of the full price. Unless you're 82% sure you're going to break a screen while owning the phone, it's a bad deal.
Even if you are worried about the possibility of breaking your screen twice, insuring against that extremely unlikely occurrence at 46% of the cost is probably a bad bet for most people.
If you take the money you would ordinarily spend on extended warrantees and put it in a savings account instead, you would have to be spectacularly unlucky not to come out ahead. Heck, I've never even bothered to put cases on the iPhones in our household and we've come out massively ahead on that (if you bought crappy $20 cases we'd still be at a triple-digit-percentage advantage). Your mileage, clumsiness, and bad luck may vary.... but for most people, savings are better than insurance against anything that costs less than a few months salary.
I am just interested in what most users do. I am waiting for UPS to deliver my new iPhone X this afternoon. This is my third upgrade with the iPhone Upgrade Program. Before the program, I have bought every new iPhone that came out since the first one and have always bought the AppleCare. I always also purchased a screen protector and a case. I'm now about to turn in a pristine iPhone 7 Plus that I've had for a bit over a year.
My question is: Since I'm paying a hefty $199 for AppleCare+ for the iPhone X, should I pay an additional $39.99 for a screen protector and $49.99 for a case? That's another $95 that I will never recuperate.
I'm quite careful with my phones, but of course accidents do happen. Since the I owned the original iPhone way back when, I have only ever had one claim with AppleCare.
What do most people do? Since the upgrade program forces you to spend $199 for the AppleCare+, do you spend another $100 (or more) for a case and screen protector?
Thanks!
Regarding the extra protection, no case will be perfect and spending $50+ does not necessarily mean it will be any more protective than a $15 case. A very good case can be had for < $25, plenty of options if you shop around. Personally I wouldn't put a screen protector on, but that's just me.