AppleCare

AppleCare is Apple's brand name for extended warranty and technical support plans for their devices. Apple hardware normally has a one-year limited warranty and includes 90 days of technical support by telephone. Customers can obtain extended warranty coverage and technical support, which extends the length and expands the scope of coverage, by buying an AppleCare plan.[1] The AppleCare Protection Plan is available for many Apple products including Mac computers and displays, iPhones and iPads, Apple Watches, and Apple TV.[2] AppleCare plans include Apple software associated with the covered hardware. Customers can also buy additional support and training through AppleCare.[2]

AppleCare Protection Plan

Every Apple TV, Apple Watch, iPad, iPhone, iPod, and Mac and display comes with complimentary telephone technical support and a limited warranty from Apple. The AppleCare Protection Plan and AppleCare+ extends the service coverage and provides one-stop service and support from Apple experts.[3]

The AppleCare Protection Plan is sold by Apple and its authorized resellers. It is available as an add-on purchase with every major piece of Apple hardware, including smaller devices and accessories, as long as the original Apple hardware warranty is active. However, in territories where the product is branded 'AppleCare+,' the plan must be purchased within 60 days of any iPhone or iPad model purchase.[4]

For all hardware devices, following the included 90-day telephone/Internet support and one-year hardware warranty, buying the AppleCare Protection Plan for a MacBook computer or a separate AppleCare Protection Plan for Apple displays extends both support and hardware to three years.[5] Additionally, buying AppleCare+ for iPods and other iOS devices can extend both support and hardware to two years. Extended coverage under the Protection Plan is available for the Apple Watch for either two or three years, depending on the particular model of the device.[6] The AppleCare Protection Plan extends the complimentary 90-day coverage to three years from the original device purchase date for Mac or Apple displays and two years from the given device's purchase date for iPads, iPhones, iPods, or Apple TV devices.[7]

Included Mac accessory coverage

Users who purchase an AppleCare Protection Plan with any Mac computer are also automatically entitled to receive coverage for some other related Apple accessories. Along with coverage for the MacBook, any additional Apple display purchased at the same time as a Macbook device and/or any Apple AirPort device (e.g. AirPort Express Base Station, AirPort Extreme Base Station, or Time Capsule) is covered. (Note: Although the AirPort device or Time Capsule must be purchased up to two years before the MacBook purchase or during the term of the AppleCare Protection Plan coverage).[7]

Competition

Today, there are several third-party warranty providers and traditional insurance providers that will also cover Apple products. Some may include accident, loss, and theft coverage as well as hardware failure warranties. Some major retailers that sell Apple products sell their own extended service plans as well.

AppleCare Extended Service

In some countries or territories where there there are no local Apple offices, such as parts of Latin America, the "AppleCare Extended Service" product is available in place of the AppleCare product. This offers the same hardware warranty without phone/Internet support.

AppleCare and EU legislation

In some parts of European countries apart of the European Union (EU), local regulations gives consumers a minimum of two years warranty on hardware defects that existed at time of purchase, which overlaps the benefits of AppleCare. This effectively means that, in certain countries in the EU, an AppleCare Protection Plan still extends phone/Internet support from 90 days on all devices.[8] In most countries the onus under the EU law is on the merchant to establish that a hardware defect did not exist at time of purchase for the first six months after purchase. After the six-month-period this is reversed, meaning that the customer needs to establish that a hardware defect did exist when they received the product.[9] Unlike the statutory guarantee AppleCare also covers defects that appeared after purchase, if the device was handled correctly.[10]

In reality, this means that the EU legislation gives customers a 6-month guarantee, because it is typically impossible for a customer to prove a defect existed at the time of purchase.

AppleCare also includes an express replacement service for iPad and iPhone. AppleCare+ insures against accidental damage, unlike the statutory warranty.[11] For Mac computers with or without any additional included covered Mac accessories, (or separately purchased Apple monitors with their own purchased Apple Protection Plan) this still extends cover to a third year from the statutory two years.

In Italy, Apple has been accused of failing to inform customers about their rights.[12]

References

  1. ↑ Apple Inc. "AppleCare Products [overview]". Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Apple Inc. "AppleCare Products [details]". Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  3. ↑ "AppleCare - Apple". www.apple.com. Retrieved 2016-09-27.
  4. ↑ "AppleCare+ for iPhone".
  5. ↑ "AppleCare Protection Plan for Mac or Apple Display". Apple Inc.
  6. ↑ "AppleCare for Apple Watch". Apple Inc.
  7. 1 2 Inc., Apple. "Apple - Support - AppleCare - FAQ". www.apple.com. Retrieved 2016-09-27.
  8. ↑ Patel, Nilay (2011-12-27). "Apple fined $1.2m in Italy for misleading warranty claims". The Verge. Retrieved 2016-09-28.
  9. ↑ "Guarantees, cancelling and returning your purchases". Your Europe - Citizens. Retrieved 2016-11-04.
  10. ↑ "Apple - Legal - Hardware Warranties". www.apple.com. Retrieved 2016-11-04.
  11. ↑ "Apple Products and Consumer Laws in the United Kingdom". www.apple.com. Retrieved 2016-11-04.
  12. ↑ "Apple Italy throws up ruling on its store site". The Register.
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