You’ve got the new “iDevice” that you’ve longed for and you’re happy with it. Should you pay for an AppleCare Plus protection package to go along?
To begin, what is AppleCare Plus?
AppleCare Plus is an extended warranty program that Apple sells for all of the company’s new products. It is available for up to a month after each purchase. With this, you get an extra year of hardware cover and three months of phone tech support. The hardware protection plan covers the device, the battery, the earbuds and the USB cable. The software cover protects you from malfunction in all the Apple software you have on board the device. The accidental damage cover is the most important part of the AppleCare Plus program. Cover against accidental damage can be especially useful on products like the iPhone 5 that use glass all over.
With the preamble out of the way, here are the arguments for both sides – for buying protection and for not buying.
AppleCare Plus is useful
The peace of mind that you get is the most important reason to buy. You know that your product is taken care of, no matter what.
While Apple products are known for their ease of use, first-time users can need professional handholding. AppleCare Plus gives you extended tech support for this.
If you need to sell your device before the AppleCare plan runs out, the plan is transferable, too. It won’t go to waste.
The argument against buying AppleCare Plus
The cost of the coverage is the main reason many stay away from AppleCare. With an entry-level model like the iPod Shuffle, your AppleCare plan costs nearly as much as the product itself.
Even if your product does cost more, protection may not offer much value, given that Apple’s products are well-made. In many cases, the protection goes unused. It could be useful if you have the habit of dropping your devices in water, though.
Apple usually refreshes its product line yearly. Many Apple users are interested in keeping up and may not need the protection that covers their product for two years. They could be happy with their out-of-the-box warranty.
In conclusion…
You could make a case for AppleCare for people who don’t plan to keep up with Apple’s short product upgrade cycles. It could also be great for expensive products like iPhones and laptops. For less expensive products like iPods, though, AppleCare Plus may be overkill.