AppleCare is not cheap and for those who don’t purchase it, it also means you’re taking a risk with your product in the event that it breaks and you’re no longer covered. There used to be a loophole where Apple customers who did not have warranty could go onto Apple’s website and chat with online support to get help without paying for it. (more…)
Apple Could Soon Start Charging For Online Support original content from Ubergizmo. 
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Good news for globetrotting Apple users: AppleCare+ now covers service in other countries. Seems the plan, which used to apply only to the country of purchase, now lets you get the coverage offered wherever you are. [TechCrunch]
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A welcome bit of news for globe trotters, as Apple is widening the safety net of AppleCare+ to include hardware repair or replacement while abroad. According to a leaked support document obtained by Sonny Dickinson, replacement coverage for the iPhone will become effective on September 27th. Separately, customers may also initiate repairs of the iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple display and Apple TV while traveling. This move follows a recent expansion of AppleCare+ within western Europe, and easily beats Apple’s previous requirement that customers initiate repairs in the same country where AppleCare+ was first purchased. As an important caveat, Apple isn’t guaranteeing that model-specific replacement hardware will be available in all countries, but this is a step in the right direction.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple
Via: TechCrunch
Source: @SonnyDickinson (Twitter), 9to5Mac, Apple
While we were busy gawking at the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s, Apple was quietly expanding the reach of its AppleCare+ extended support program. The service is now available in France, Italy and the UK, giving locals two years of iOS and iPod hardware support (including two accident claims) beyond the European requirements. Customers pay £79 (€99 in Europe) to cover an iPad or iPhone, and £49 (€59) to safeguard an iPod. Unfortunately, the expansion comes at a cost for Americans — Apple is quietly hiking its AppleCare+ accident repair fee in the US from $49 to $79. While that’s still cheaper than regular service, it’s expensive enough that some may simply prefer to take better care of their gadgets. May we suggest a case?
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio/Video, Tablets, Mobile, Apple
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Apple (UK), (US)
AppleCare+ damage coverage for iPhones just got a bit more expensive: each incident now costs $80, a $30 increase, while an additional two years of coverage is still $100. Apple has also added iPod Touch and Classic coverage packages for $60. [AppleCare+ via TechCrunch]
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![Apple Expected To Make Improvements To AppleCare On August 12 [Rumor]](https://i0.wp.com/cdnrss.ubergizmo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/apple-applecare-improvement.jpg?resize=640%2C383 "Apple Expected To Make Improvements To AppleCare On August 12 [Rumor]")
If you own an Apple product, then you’ll know how great their customer service can be, especially if you purchased AppleCare for your products. Well – things are about to get better for AppleCare customers as a new report is claiming Apple is expected to make some big changes to the service to make it even easier for its customers to get the support they need. (more…)
Apple Expected To Make Improvements To AppleCare On August 12 [Rumor] original content from Ubergizmo. 
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In 2011 Apple found itself in some hot water for failing to provide the legally required two-year warranty to European consumers. But, since being slapped with a €900,000 fine by Italy in December of that year, few other countries have taken any signifcant action. That’s led European Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding to call on the nations of the European Union to step up their enforcement efforts and to cooperate more on consumer protection issues. She also said that the Justice Commission should take a more prominent role in helping various state institutions work together. The call for stricter enforcement comes after only five EU members took any action against Apple for openly flouting the Union’s Warranty laws — and just two (Italy and Bulgaria) imposed any financial penalties. Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg and Belgium are still investigating the company, but it’s not clear what consequences if any remain to be faced. The company has begun to alter its warranty policies to fall more inline with local laws, but there are still concerns about the specific wording that leave room for abuse.
Filed under: Apple
Apple’s warranty plans have drawn the ire of a Belgian consumer watchdog agency, Test-Aankoop/Test-Achats. The group has filed a complaint against the company over how AppleCare is sold and marketed to customers, who in the EU by default are entitled to a free two-year warranty with any consumer electronics purchase. The complaint says Apple markets its warranties in a manner which doesn’t properly explain consumer rights to Belgian gadget shoppers.
The decision to pursue legal action comes only after Test-Aankoop/Test-Achats decided to join up with 10 other Europe-based entities to make complaints about how Apple operates its warranties, but now the group feels it is time to escalate to a court case after efforts to petition the Mac maker have gone unheard. The move also follows successful action in Italy regarding the same exact issue, a case which the Belgian watchdog cites as a precedent, noting that Apple not only had to pay a €900,000 penalty in that case, but also modified its practices for the Italian market.
Why all the fuss? There is lots of money to be made in value-added warranties, that’s why. It’s not clear exactly how much Apple makes via AppleCare, which offers consumers extended protection on their devices above Apple’s basic one-year warranty, for an additional fee. But it is likely a lot; added warranties are much higher profit than gadgets themselves, since many consumers never take advantage of their services at all, more than compensating for the few who do redeem them for expensive repairs or replacements. That’s why Apple isn’t moving to change its practices in the EU for anything short of a court order to do so, and why we may see others beyond the Belgian group pursue the same kind of action.
Ever hemmed and hawed over buying AppleCare with your shiny new gadget? European chiefs are worried that you don’t know all of your rights. They’re concerned that Cupertino’s warranty-selling practices hide the fact that all customers are entitled to a statutory two-year warranty to fix defects present at sale. The company has already had to open its checkbook to Italian regulators, but pointed out that the protection plan is there to remedy issues that may crop up after you’ve taken your new toy from its perfectly-engineered box. Nevertheless, commissioner Viviane Reding is pushing for a Europe-wide inquiry into the company, contacting all 27 member states to look into the matter. In the meantime, we’re left working out how many times we’re likely to drop our new device in the next three years.
Filed under: Misc, Peripherals, Apple
Apple facing European investigation into how it sells AppleCare originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 09:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Italian regulator AGCM is clearly on a short fuse with Apple. After issuing a €900,000 fine ($1.1 million) to Apple for not properly offering the free 2-year warranty required by national law, the agency is now warning the iPhone maker that it could face a temporary exile — and we don’t mean to Elba. On top of an additional €300,000 ($377,490) potential fine, Apple now faces as much as a 30-day shutdown of all its Italian business for allegedly doing too little to tell customers they don’t always need AppleCare for extended coverage. Having lost its appeal on the original fine, Apple’s main buffer is a 30-day window to address the complaints before the hammer drops. We have yet to see if Apple will tweak its policies in time, but it’s hard to believe the American firm will risk even the momentary closure of an important European wing.
Apple may get the Italian boot, has 30 days to push a 2-year warranty for locals originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jul 2012 08:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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