I drop my iPhone a lot. In fact, since I decided to hang on to my 3GS and hold out for what ended up being a pretty disappointing announcement yesterday, I’ve cared increasingly less each time that thing hits the floor. Once I get my hands on the iPhone 4S… Well, that’s another story. Still, accidents happen all the time and for the cash Apple’s asking, a little insurance never hurt. Enter: AppleCare+.
If you’ve ever had an Apple product then you’ve heard about AppleCare. In the case of the iPhone, AppleCare offers you two years of technical support and hardware repair so long as the damage to the phone wasn’t caused by your own clumsiness or liquid. Now Apple has bumped the fee from $69.99 to $99.99 and has added some tweaks to the agreement.
AppleCare+ offers up two years of the same technical support and hardware repair, except this time Apple has included “accidental damage due to handling” to its coverage. However, don’t get all excited and throw your phone across the room just for the heck of it. You only get two chances when it comes to “accidental handling,” each of which will cost an added $49. So if you drop your iPhone in the toilet, which happens way more than you think it would, don’t fret. Grab a $50 and head over to Apple, and the problem should be resolved in no time.
As far as pricing goes, it’s a little unclear why Apple raised the price of the AppleCare+ to $99.99 if we’re still paying a fee for accidental handling. On the other hand, even with the extra $30 down payment, $50 bucks is still less than the cost of replacing a screen or buying a new iPhone entirely.