Apple provides most of its products with a one-year warranty that covers common manufacturing defects and hardware issues. Buyers also get complimentary technical support of not more than 90 days. For those who want to extend the coverage, the company offers the AppleCare plan.
Before we look at the pros and cons of AppleCare and whether you need it for your iPhone or MacBook, let’s look at what the default warranty offers.
Apple’s Standard Warranty
The limited warranty that comes with each of Apple’s devices is no special or different from what you get from other consumer electronic device manufacturers. It is essentially a promise from the manufacturer that your device will work as intended for a limited period of time. Most Apple devices come with a one-year, with only the Apple Watch offering two-year coverage.
If any part of the device stops working within this period and Apple proves that it was through no fault of your own, the company will either fix the issue or give you a new device.
Note that the standard warranty is automatically applied regardless of where you bought the device. It can also be transferred together with the product if you provide the new owner with proof of purchase. That said, the new owner’s warranty period will be based on the original purchase date, so if you buy a used iPhone X months after the initial purchase, you will only get two months of the warranty coverage.
Is it worth extending the coverage?
AppleCare steps in only when the user needs to extend the coverage. However, what is AppleCare, and is it worth the money?
AppleCare’s protection plan can be bought within the first year of purchase to provide an additional two years of coverage for your Macs and an extra year for iPhones, iPods, iPads, and Apple TV.
It is, however, worth noting that the AppleCare plan doesn’t cover all your devices collectively. It will cover additional PC devices such as the computer display and the router if they are bought together with the computer. If they are bought separately, AppleCare must also be purchased separately, which can be quite costly, given different products come with different warranty prices.
Apple is known for producing quality devices. This is a factor you must take into consideration before purchasing AppleCare. But then again, you can’t base your judgment on past repute as every mass production is bound to have a few faulty units. Thankfully, you have a whole year to explore your device and perceive any obvious hardware and functional oversights.
If your decision to purchase AppleCare will be based on price, then some products may not be worth the warranty. For instance, a $49 iPod will cost you $39, which doesn’t make sense at all.
If you are going to base your decision on reliability, Apple TV and iPad have a reputation for toughness, so you can rely on the one year warranty.
The iMac may prove a tough call because the computer and the display are all in a single package. If something goes wrong, you have to replace the whole computer.
Endnote
AppleCare is a worthy investment if you have a pricey product or one with a high likelihood of giving up the ghost. For the cheaper and generally reliable products, sticking with the one-year warranty may prove a more rational idea.
