apple care protection plan

If you end up needing to use it yes. If you never need it, no.

I buy it as I plan to keep the iphone for two years, and prefer to offset the risk of a problem and I like to know that the telephone support is there.


It depends on your appetite for risk.

Applecare is not an insurance policy against accidents. It's an extended warranty against mechanical defects and it extends your complimentary technical support from 90 days to 2 years. It also covers a replacement battery if capacity is 50% below the battery spec.

Here's the details for the US: http://www.apple.com/support/products/applecareiphone.html

Some homeowners insurance policies can cover accidental damage and there is a company selling iPhone accident insurance. Find it on Google.

"but if i drop it is it covered?:

No, it only extends the warranty to two years and adds telephone support for longer.

"and does it not come with any othere kind of warranty ...?"

It has a one year warranty.

I understand clearly that the Apple Care Protection Plan for the iPhone 3G S is a warranty & technical support extansion, not an insurance plan.

That being said, the convincing argument presented to me by an AT&T salesperson that sold me on the idea stated quite clearly that if I drop and break my 32GB iPhone 3G S, the warranty WILL allow me to purchase a replacement for the original subsidized $299 price instead of the full retail price of $699.

I would like to see if I can get any confirmation on this as I did NOT find it in the written terms and conditions. I worry that I was sweet-talked and told a nice story when the reality might be something entirely different.

In addition I'd like to know if the same applies to the phone being stolen.

Apple's out-of-warranty service does not depend on Applecare.

http://www.apple.com/support/iphone/service/faq/#warranty7

If your phone is stolen, you are out of luck unless you have some insurance coverage. I have seen nothing in the US that covers theft.

Jim,

Thank you so much for that link - it's exactly what I was looking for.

I read it over and over and over again and I'm now pretty certain that it does indeed confirm at least part of what the AT&T salesperson stated. Paraphrashing in my own words, this is my understanding of the text from the link you provided for Apple's iPhone warranty:

+If your iPhone is under warranty (either standard or extended), and you happen to drop your phone and cause it to break (however not shatter into many pieces = "catastrophic"), or you happen to drop it into the pool, tub, sink or toilet, then your warranty won't cover this for free service/replacement. However, your warranty will allow you to avoid having to pay full retail replacement cost (i.e. $699 for 32GB 3G S) - you will only have to pay a standard $199 flat rate replacement cost and this is considered "Out of Warranty" or in laymans' terms, "Limited cost replacement warranty for damage not fully covered by the limited warranty"+

This is pretty fair IMO and what I was basically told. Instead of paying your full retail (non-subsidized cost), you pay a single flat rate ($199 sure beats $699 for the 32GB 3G S).

So although this "partial coverage" is already granted STANDARD and FREE (which I think was your point), the AppleCare extended warranty basically doubles the length of this coverage from 1 year to 2 years, so it's now clearer now for me (and others I hope) what this all means to better decide whether or not the $69 extended warranty coverage is worth it or not when they already get the partial coverage free for a year...

Thank you for the link and info that answered my questions.

Just FYI, I dropped my iPhone 3G last week and thought the same thing about the "discounted" price. I went to Best Buy and bought a new one, no questions asked and switched the SIM cards. My new phone worked instantly after the sales rep entered my info in the computer. No questions, no "contract negotiations" or "special deals".
My co-worker was told the same thing by the sales rep at an AT&T store too. It's baloney as far as i am concerned.

Good Luck!

The original warranty is only 90 days.

The warranty is one year, the complimentary telephone support is 90 days. http://www.apple.com/support/products/applecareiphone.html

No, the iphone comes with a one year warranty.

"How long is my iPhone covered by Apple’s warranty?
Apple's Limited Warranty for iPhone covers your iPhone for one year. Warranty service for eligible repairs is available at no charge for twelve months from the date of original retail purchase ("date of purchase")."

http://www.apple.com/support/iphone/service/faq/

Right, you are.

Would this work to upgrade from an iphone 3g to an iphone 3gs?