Is AppleCare + Finally Worth the IPhone 12?
If you’re a clumsy iPhone owner, AppleCare + is always worth it. Full stop. However, if you’re like me – overall worthy of keeping your phone from dropping to the ground, but never capable of aflawless victory – you’re probably wondering if it’s worth signing up for Apple’s fix-it service ever.
Well, let’s do the math. As an argument, I am assuming that you are thinking of AppleCare + for your iPhone 12, as chances are good that you will no longer be able to purchase AppleCare + for the iPhone you are currently using.
If you don’t buy AppleCare + and drop your iPhone …
Take a walk on the wild side and you’ll pay that much for any post-warranty screen repair on your iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro:
- iPhone 12 Pro: $ 279
- iPhone 12: $ 279
Interestingly, Apple has yet to release its numbers for the iPhone 12 Pro Max or iPhone 12 Mini. I expected the former, like Apple’s prices for various iPhone 11 models, to cost a little more for a screen repair – around $ 329.
As for the iPhone 12 Mini, I have no idea how much it might cost to repair a broken screen. I doubt you can get your device repaired for less than $ 200 – the cost of repairing a base iPhone 11. Although the iPhone 12 Mini has a smaller screen than the iPhone 11, Apple still uses a more expensive OLED display. Replacing which will naturally cost more than the iPhone 11’s LCD.
With AppleCare +, however, your price for screen repairs drops to $ 29 , no matter what iPhone you have. Of course, you should also consider the AppleCare + price for 12 months of protection:
- iPhone 12 Mini: $ 149, $ 219 no theft and loss.
- iPhone 12: $ 149 regular, $ 219 excluding theft and loss.
- iPhone 12 Pro: $ 199 regular, $ 269 no theft and loss.
- iPhone 12 Pro Max: $ 199 regular, $ 269 no theft and loss.
So, essentially, you prepay one iPhone drop (at a slight discount) with your AppleCare + purchase. You get two of these “incidents” in a 12-month period, so if you’re especially clumsy, AppleCare + is your best bet.
But can these things really be predicted? It’s kind of a dilemma with AppleCare +. If you’re having a great year, you’ve paid for coverage you don’t need; If you’ve had a bad year and smashed your screen multiple times, AppleCare + will save you quite a bit of money.
If you don’t buy AppleCare + and your iPhone is having battery problems …
It’s easy. Replacing your iPhone battery should n’t cost anything when it’s backed by a one-year limited warranty. AppleCare + then lets you replace the battery for free – provided your iPhone is fine and there is no other hardware damage that could cause battery problems.
Otherwise, an out-of-warranty battery replacement costs $ 69 for your iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro. As before, there is no information available on whether this price could change for the iPhone 12 Mini or iPhone 12 Max, but I would not have expected that.
So, if you’re good at keeping your iPhone from exploding when hitting concrete, hardwood, sidewalk, or whatever else you drop it on, then I won’t get AppleCare + just to eventually eventually replace it. battery. Obviously, you will save a lot more money by paying out of your pocket if – indeed, when – your device starts to run out of battery.
If you don’t buy AppleCare + and your iPhone has other problems …
Here’s the biggest one: wildcard. If you run into any other disaster with your iPhone and Apple regulations that are not covered by your one-year limited warranty, AppleCare + is the only way to save your bacon and bank account.
But what disasters fit this description? Throw your iPhone in any liquid and any damage caused by that bathtub would qualify as ” other damage .” My guess is that damage to any of the buttons on your device also qualifies as “other damage”, as does damage to one of its cameras – likely from a bad fall or hit.
However you cause it, any damage that Apple classifies as “other” will cost you $ 549 for the iPhone 12 Pro or $ 449 for the iPhone 12 unless covered by your limited warranty or AppleCare +. Choose AppleCare + and you’ll only pay $ 99 for service.
Is it worth it from that AppleCare +? Surely, if you have a crystal ball and can conclude that at some point in the next year, you will do something terrible with your iPhone, you will save hundreds of dollars – even with the cost of AppleCare + and service charges – if you damaged your iPhone in a terrible way.
So, do I need to independently assess my potential destructiveness?
Yes. Unfortunately, this has always been a compromise for AppleCare. You can purchase the service and never use it, giving Apple little more free money than access to 24/7 tech support.
You can also drop your phone a week after you buy it, flip it over in your car, or get it wet to the point where the built-in water resistance can help you. If that’s the case, AppleCare + might be a good deal, especially since Apple’s express replacement service can get you started with a new iPhone pretty quickly.
I hate to give the answer “depends on the circumstances”, so I’ll be more specific: I would buy AppleCare + unless you plan on using any kind of case to protect your iPhone, you have previously smashed your smartphones to this extent. that you had to get them repaired, buy a new one, or buy an iPhone 12 Pro.
Why iPhone 12 Pro? Well, the price difference between the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 is roughly $ 1,000 to $ 800. AppleCare +, however, is only $ 50. Destroy your iPhone 12 after you can use it and your game will cost you a little less money to replace your iPhone completely. However, if you’re paying a four-figure amount for your iPhone 12 Pro, it’s probably worth considering AppleCare + for a bit more.
With that said, here’s my attack plan: I’m not going to pick AppleCare + because I don’t think I’m the type to benefit from it. Until recently, I used to pack my iPhone in a pretty decent case, and most of the time it was either on my desk, in my pocket, or in my car. Sure, accidents do happen, but I haven’t smashed a smartphone since the iPhone 4. I’m pretty confident in my ability to secure my iPhone and would rather spend that money on accessories or a really cool case.
If you’ve survived several iPhone crashes or your current smartphone has a few more scuffs and scratches than you’d like to admit, it might be time to pull the trigger on AppleCare +. Or if you rule that out, perhaps splitting the difference and saving some money with an iPhone updater is the best approach.