Apple Care+ for iPhone 4S

I spoke with Nathan at AppleCare this morning, who confirmed what I was told by AppleCare yesterday: those of us who purchased throughh Verizon will need to go to a bricks and mortar Apple Store to get AppleCare+ added to our order. I confirmed this by calling the Apple Store on 14th Street in Manhattan today. I'm told that we have to do this befor the 14th. I was also told that the confusion yesterday was due to the fact that the employees receive no information before launch days, they're learning on the fly.

I spoke with Cynthia at apple care today and she is a top level applecare rep that told me that nobody is allowed to add the applecare+ to any order since applecare + does not exist untill Oct 14. She is telling me that we can go to an Apple retailer (with the phone) and be able to add applecare+ to the phone. I called the Apple store near me and they said absolutly not. That they would not sell it to me because the phone and the applecare+ needed to be purchased at the same time. When I asked him how that was supposed to be done when it wasn't offered to anybody he told me that it was not his problem. I also asked him to read the "Terms of Agreement " for the applecare+ program. I have it printed out it says:

11. General Terms

(x) You must purchase the plan while your original Iphone is within Apple's One Year Limited Warranty.

So how come we must purchase this product at the same time if your tearms and agreement for this product clearly states it can be purchased within 1 year. I was hung up on. This lady at the top level applecare told me she would call me back after she finds out what is going on. She did give me her direct line(so she says) and I will post what she says when I contact her on Monday Or Tuesday.

Thanks cspeedo11 for your research, WOW, the applestore person you talked to said it wasn't his problem and you were hung up on? Very professional (not)! Once again, different answers depening on who one talks to. Still the same issue of Apples own employees giving different answers.

When will this all be resolved once and for all so that EVERYONE at apple has the same answers?

I'm looking forward to hearing what you find out, I'm also hoping that all Apple employees will soon be able to give the same information.

Thanks again, and keep us posted!

To add another version to the 'purchase through Verizon' story...

I also called Apple via Express Lane call back method. I presented the scenarios of purchasing through Verizon with no option for apple care+ and purchasing through Apple and losing the 'new every two' discount and other things from Verizon. The first person didn't know answer, however, she forwarded the call up to a manager for AppleCare+. He said that starting on 10/14 Apple Care+ would be available for purchase through Verizon. He said to go ahead and preorder through Verizon then on 10/14 call Verizon and have them add Apple Care+ to the order. Given that my call was logged as an Express Lane support request I felt comfortable ordering through Verizon. Ordering through Verizon was also helpful since I could order two phones at once which one can't do through Apple as well as I was not able to continue on the unlimited plan if I ordered through Apple. I do have to say that Apple's Express Lane phone support has to be one of the best I have used. Both people were very helpful and actually seemed to listen well. They called my phone almost 10 seconds after submitting the information.

Anyway, the iPhones are slated to arrive by 10/21. So, I should be able to try to add Apple Care+ through Verizon on 10/14. I sure hope that Verizon doesn't say that they can't do that. If they do, then I'll have to follow up with Apple and the support case number or stop by an Apple store as I am fortunate to have one close.

Ordered my ATT iPhone4S Friday evening Oct 7, using the Apple website, after several unsuccessful attempts with the AppleStore APP and ATT website. Of course, didn't see/couldn't find AppleCare+ to add at that time. Called AppleStore Customer Service Sun Oct 9 at 1 pmEST, they knew it was an issue... they offered 1) go to a retail store on Oct 14 with new phone to buy it.. or 2) they would try to add it to my order... 20 min of on hold, they added it to my order and it will be shipped with the iPhone on Friday.

Thanks for the info, I just called my local Verizon store (Orlando - Kirkman Rd). They never heard of AppleCare +, in fact she (Sallima) had not idea what Applecare is. Scary, very Scary - anyone have any suggestions? No matter who I call, my local Apple store (Orlando Milliena), 1-800-my-Apple, My Local Verizon Store I can't seem to get any resolution. Any Suggestions? I was thinking about calling Apples again, but no matter what they say, the Verizon store doesn't seem to know anything.

Let's hope this worked. I called 800-my-apple (again) and was once again told that I had to have bought applecare + when I pre-ordered (Yikes), as you know it wasn't available.

However, I talked to an AppleCare Manager (Estella), It wasn't easy to get to her, but once I did she was extremely professional, polite, and helpful.

She gave me the following information:

On October 14, when we receive our phones, we will have 30 days (from date of purchase) to go to an Apple Store to purchase AppleCare +. We will need to bring receipts that show seriel numbers. Estelle also said that if my local Orlando Apple Store (Miliena Mall) says they can't sell me AppleCare + to give them her phone number (which she provided) and have them call her.

I also mentioned that the AppleCare + discussions shows Apple how frustrated we all are about the many different answeres we are getting.

So, even though I didn't want to go to an Apple Store on the 14th I guess I'll be going.

I hope I don't have to wait in the same line as those purchasing the phone.

Another AT&T user here. I pre-ordered two 4S phones (family) via AT&T on Oct 7th. (I went with AT&T to upgrade assuming that I cannot pre-order more than one phone from apple.com). AT&T never offered AppleCare+ on Oct 7th morning.

I called Apple today (Oct 10), they transfered me to AppleCare. The person at AppleCare said the only option is for me to cancel my orders with AT&T and re-order with Apple (there is a 2+ week delay now). She told me there is no other way to get AppleCare+. The rep told me even going into a Apple store (physical) will not allow me to get AppleCare+ (unless I cancel my current AT&T and re-order with Apple).

The rep also told me that AT&T website should be offering AppleCare+ now. I checked and they (AT&T) still do not offer AppleCare+.

Looks like the reps are not well informed if they are sending conflicting messages.

If I am not able to get AppleCare+, then other option is to get a third party warrantee (such as Squaretrade).

The Apple Stores will be selling Apple Care + starting the 14th. I confirmed this by calling the Apple store (Orlando Miliena) after speaking to an AppleCare Manager at 800-my-apple. Not all stores or employees are informed of this, in fact when I called a few days ago they told me no. The Apple store also said I did not have to bring my phones in to buy AppleCare + because after I purchase it, I go home and register it online (with the new iphone 4s seriel numbers), those that were able to purschase applecare + with their pre-order don't have to do this. My suggestions, is to call 800-my-apple and talk to an applecare manager (that's what I did), it took forever to get one on the line, they kept telling me I had to purchase with the pre-order, I persisted and not only did I get an Applecare Manger (Estela) she was extremely helpful. Oh, my preorder was through Verizon

I just spoke with a Verizon Rep and he told me that the applecare + is not avalable for the iphone 4s through verizon. If we wanted insurance on the phone you need to buy it through verizon which is offered by Assuron.

The price is $10.99/mth and if you break your phone the replacement cost would be $200.00. Are they kidding me!!! What a rip off. I called the top level apple care person I spoke with yesterday and she still has no idea what to do yet. I will keep you informed.

I had today off work, so I was able to do a little more research. I called Apple this morning, and unlike the previous two times I did so, I was *not* told to go to the Apple store before the 14th to add AppleCare+. This representative told me that I would need to take my sealed phone into the Apple store on or after the 14th to order it.

I then called Verizon again, since I ordered the phone through them (just to be thorough, I knew they wouldn't have any ideas). The gentleman I spoke to there was very nice, but they don't even have AppleCare+ in their system yet, and he said that working with Apple is different from working with other phone providers (like Samsung and Motorola, I guess) in that Apple hasn't shared any information with them. This particular man didn't even know the 4S was launching until the morning it happened when he "saw it on the news." This confirmed my opinion that Apple was the place to go.

I had to go to Manhattan today anyway, so I stopped by two Apple stores to test out the "bring the confirmation email in" advice that I was given in previous calls to AppleCare. The store on 14th Street said they had never heard of such a thing, "absolutely not." That representative was not very helpful, and was not as friendly as the other people at Apple that I have talked to. I then went to the flagship store on Fifth Avenue, thinking if any place would have information, it would be that location. There I was told that they couldn't give me the AppleCare+ right now, as they didn't even have a box for it in the store. However, they were aware of the glitch on the website saying it had to be ordered at the time of purchase. They told me that AppleCare+ will be available on the 14th, as we all know, but that I do not need to come into the store on that day to activate it - I should be able to purchase it on the website as soon as I have my 4S's serial number, or I can purchase it within the first year I have the device, in person or on the site.

Since this ties in with Apple's general policy on regular AppleCare, it does make sense to me. I hope I can add it when my 4S comes on Friday!

Amazing to see all the different stories everyone is getting from local stores, Apple's help desk & the local carriers. I figured I would add my story in. I called the 800 number & when asked in the beginning prompt for what I was looking for I said "Add applecare to iPhone". I was immediately sent to a rep (first time thats ever happened when calling a help line!) The rep Jeff was as helpful as could he could be. According to him as of this morning, their supervisor told them that we would need to visit a local store to have the phone inspected before applecare+ could be purchased. He also suggested bringing my power cord & headset since those would be covered as well. He said I didn't need to keep it sealed or unused, they just wanted to make sure it wasn't damaged before issuing the insurance.

He took down my email address & said he would email me if there was any change in that process. I got an email almost immediately after hanging up with him with all his contact information. I asked him why I couldn't just order it now since no one has their phones yet so no inspection would be needed. He totally agreed with me but obviously he wasn't someone who could make those decisions.

I don't live very close to an apple store. Not liking the idea of having to go there for this. He suggested making a Genius appointment so I wouldn't have to wait in any lines if there were any. I will keep everyone posted if he emails me anything else but for now this is what I am going on.

Like everyone else, I preordered on the 7th and did not have the AppleCare + option on the apple website. I called the 1-800 number today, was transferred to AppleCare and they added to my phone. I haven't received confirmation email but did see the $99 charge on my cc tonight. Assume I am good to go now.

I ordered on apple website as I couldn't get the at&t site to work. I checked my apple status and it shows the AppleCare + linked to the 4s phone order, so it definitely can be done. I guess it's just a matter of who you talk to. may be different with sprint or Verizon.