A post on iMore this morning made me remember an idea for an article that I was going to write a little while back, but after thinking about it a little more I don’t want to just put it online and hope people would read it, I want to know what other people think. But before we get to that, a little backstory 
One of my first articles for another website wondered if you should be buying AppleCare for your Apple products. Of course, this was back in 2008 when AppleCare was a significant cost relative to the computer — I lack the historical data for previous AppleCare prices, but I’m fairly certain I remember AppleCare for the 15/17-inch model being $579.
Which brings up another point, actually. AppleCare has seen some decent price drops in Australia over the past couple of years. As above, AppleCare used to be really expensive; in 2012 it was $429 for the same thing, and now, AppleCare for the Retina 15 is just $389. It’s not as if Apple has raised AppleCare pricing due to currency fluctuations, either, unlike the App Store.
But it’s 2014. Australian consumers and Apple product owners alike are now protected under Australian Consumer Law, which states that products have to last a reasonable timeframe from the date of purchase. For all definitions of “reasonable”, you can expect at least a few good years from your Mac or iPhone, and it’s been my experience that you’ll get no-questions-asked warranty coverage within two years from the date of purchase for most Apple products these days, whether it be from an Apple Store or an APR/AASP. Some ASPs/APRs might ask that you provide a proof of purchase, but apart from that, you’re covered for up to 24 months from the original purchase date.
Apple’s page on statutory warranties even says you’re entitled to warranty coverage within 24 months of the date of purchase:
Without limiting consumers’ rights, Apple will provide its own remedies equivalent to those remedies in the consumer guarantee provisions of the Australian Consumer Law at any time within 24 months of the date of purchase. For the avoidance of doubt, Apple acknowledges that the Australian Consumer Law may provide for remedies beyond 24 months for a number of its products.
A 2011 article on Lifehacker AU asking whether AppleCare is irrelevant now that ACL grants consumer protections says that AppleCare is supposed to supplement, not supplant, your consumer rights.
With all that said, though, there’s equally no basis to assume that you could get exactly the same rights by not buying AppleCare at all. That service includes options which aren’t part of your explicit consumer rights — including the ability to get phone support for a whole range of features, and the ability to get overseas repairs.
Still with me? Here’s the story so far.
- AppleCare is cheaper than it’s ever been, but it also offers “less” than it ever has.
- If we’re just talking about hardware repairs, AppleCare only offers an additional year on top of your statutory warranty.
- AppleCare does offer numerous (what I’m going to call) “fringe benefits” such as professional telephone support for both software and hardware issues, onsite repair options for desktops, as well as overseas coverage and express mail-in iPhone replacements, but you’re (probably) not buying AppleCare for these benefits alone. Like I said, they’re more fringe benefits than something you’d be using every day.
Which, finally, brings us to today’s big question: does AppleCare need to be changed to make it more attractive to Australians? Or do you think it’s fine as it is? Would taking it out to four years help at all, for example, or just end up costing Apple more than its worth?
In light of AppleCare price drops over the years, in light of the fact most people have credit cards that provide some kind of coverage anyway, in light of the fact many people also have insurance which covers them for anything the warranty won’t, does AppleCare need to be overhauled to provide something more than just hardware and warranty coverage, as well as the current fringe benefits it offers?