AppleCare

iPhone and Mac get another shot at AppleCare+ coverage after pricey repairs

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iPhone and Mac get another opportunity at AppleCare+ coverage after expensive repair
Regretting not having AppleCare+ after you broke your iPhone screen? You get another shot at it.
Graphic: Apple

Anyone who ever paid to have their Mac or iPhone fixed, and then kicked themselves for not having AppleCare+, reportedly will get a second chance to buy the breakage insurance coverage.

That would help cover the cost of any future repairs.

Repair costs rise for iPhone 12’s Ceramic Shield display

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The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 price is now the same for all the top US telecoms.
Fixing a broken iPhone 12 out of warranty isn't cheap.
Photo: Apple

iPhone 12 users will have to cough up more cash should they need to replace the handset’s new Ceramic Shield display. The price of a new screen has risen by $80 compared to that for last year’s iPhone 11.

However, it should be more difficult to break iPhone 12’s screen, thanks to tougher glass. And you do get a lot more for your money.

AppleCare+ covers far more damage than it used to

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AppleCare provides extended insurance for so many Apple products.
All these Apple products can be protected with AppleCare+.
Photo: Apple

Apple just made its AppleCare+ breakage insurance cover more accidents. In some cases, twice and even three times as many.

The program now offers deeply-discounted repairs on two accidents for every twelve months of coverage. Previously, it only covered a total of two repairs.

16-inch MacBook Pro surprises: No Wi-Fi 6, 720p webcam, 96W charger

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16-MacBook-Pro
Notebook shipments could fall by as much as 36%.
Photo: Apple

There are some interesting surprises with the 16-inch MacBook Pro that you won’t find in Apple’s press release. So we’ve rounded up the big ones here so you don’t miss anything before buying.

Some of these things are nice surprises. But be warned that others will leave you a little disappointed.

How to check your iPhone’s warranty expiration date in iOS 12.2

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cracked iphone
This may be too far gone for a warranty repair.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

iOS 12.2 brought many changes and additions to the iPhone and iPad — four new Animoji (giraffe! boar!), better-quality voice messages — but one handy new feature may go unnoticed unless you know where to look. Now, you can check the expiration date of your iPhone or iPad warranty right there on the device itself.

iPhone owner considers legal action after alleged explosion

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iPhone XS Max explodes
This isn’t what your iPhone XS Max should look like after 3 weeks.
Photo: J. Hillard/iDrop News

An Ohio man is contemplating legal action against Apple after his 3-week-old iPhone XS Max allegedly exploded in his pocket.

J. Hillard reports that his iPhone XS Max started emitting a strange smell before he felt a “large amount of heat” in his pocket. He eventually got a new device from Apple — as well as burns on his buttocks.

Malicious ‘Apple Care’ phishing scam targets iCloud users

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Hacker who tried to extort Apple for $100k is spared prison
Hacker who tried to extort Apple for $100k is spared prison
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

The latest phishing scam targets iCloud users, trying to scare them into installing malicious software on their iOS devices.

Some users have received emails recently that push them to fake Apple Support websites. Once there, the sites prompt them to call “Apple Care” because their devices are supposedly “locked for illegal activity.” Here’s how to avoid the scam.

Apple apologizes with $29 iPhone battery replacements

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iPhone battery
Brazil demands easy iPhone battery replacements.
Photo: iFixit

Apple has offered iPhone customers yet another apology for intentionally slowing down the CPU on some older iPhone models in order to increase overall performance.

In a letter to customers this afternoon, Apple explained that it added a feature in iOS 10.1.2 that successfully reduced the occurrence of unexpected shutdowns on iPhones. Apple was able to do so by lowering CPU performance so that it drew less power from older batteries, but the company is now offering an olive branch to customers: cheap battery replacements.

The best ways to buy an unlocked iPhone X

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iPhone X
Don't lock yourself to a carrier -- buy your iPhone X from Apple instead.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

It might not seem like it at the time, but buying an iPhone for full price upfront is probably the cheapest option. Swallowing the $1,000 purchase price of an unlocked iPhone X isn’t easy. However, you won’t wind up tied to carrier contracts that trap you for a year or two. Plus, you can pick a cheap, $10-per-month prepaid data plan instead.

In the European Union, Apple sells unlocked phones from the get-go. If you buy a new iPhone from Apple on launch day, it will not come tied to a carrier. In the United States, SIM-free iPhones usually go on sale a few weeks after launch.

Today we’ll look at how and where you can buy a SIM-free, unlocked iPhone.

iPhone X repair prices will make your wallet cry

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The iPhone X is water-resistant. Just don't drop it. iPhone X repair costs might drown you in debt.
The iPhone X is water-resistant. Just don't drop it.
Image: Apple

If you are among the millions of Apple fans that just preordered the new iPhone X, here’s one piece of advice: Whatever you do, don’t break it.

Apple updated its webpage for the pricing on out-of-warranty repairs, and the iPhone X shatters the record when it comes to screen repairs and other damage.

Apple extends service for buggy Smart Keyboards

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You can thank Microsoft for this... apparently.
You can thank Microsoft for this... apparently.
Photo: Apple

Apple says it will service “functional issues” on Smart Keyboards for the iPad Pro for up to three years, according to internal memos sent to Apple stores and service providers recently.

The company, in the memo sent last week, acknowledged that some Smart Keyboard owners experienced stuck or unresponsive keys as well as non-working Smart Connectors. Apple says it will fix any qualifying keyboards free of charge within three years of the date of purchase. The company will also give a refund to any customer who already paid for service on a Smart Keyboard.

You can now buy AppleCare+ one year after getting an iPhone

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AppleCare
Don't be a fool, protect your tool.
Photo: Apple

If you’ve purchased a new iPhone in the last 12 months but failed to buy AppleCare+ to protect it, Apple is ready to cut you a break.

Apple has decided to extend the period in which iPhone buyers can get AppleCare+ to one full year from the data of purchase, after previously only letting you buy it within 60 days.

10 key takeaways from Apple’s historic earnings call

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Apple is worth more than the entire US energy sector combined
Apple made a ton of money. What more do you need to know?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple managed to shock Wall Street today by beating its own expectations for Q1 2017, the most profitable quarter in the company’s history.

There was good news all around as iPhone sales, services and even the Mac all performed better than predicted. During today’s earnings call, Tim Cook and Apple CFO Luca Maestri revealed some of the secret sauce that made Apple’s earnings one for the history books.

Here are the top takeaways from today’s call.

Apple faces class action lawsuit over AppleCare+ refurbs

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Crack! This one's got to go back to Apple.
Crack! Apple's replacement program is facing a lawsuit.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple was hit with a new class action lawsuit today in California by customers who have purchased the company’s AppleCare and AppleCare+ plans to cover damages on iPhones and iPads.

At the heart of the lawsuit is Apple’s long-held policy to replace broken devices with units that the company claims are good as new in performance and reliability, even though they’re second-hand refurbished models.

The cheap ways to protect your tech without AppleCare, this week on The CultCast

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x
It's gonna break... we'll tell you how to protect your tech on the cheap.
Photo: Unbox Therapy

This week on The CultCast: The best ways to get your gadgets the protection you want, but without those high AppleCare prices! Plus: The iPhone 7 might pack more storage than you expected; taking over Tidal could mean CD-quality streaming is coming to Apple Music; hands on with the iOS 10 and macOS Sierra betas; “the Fappening” hacker heads to the slammer; and this year’s iPhone Photography Award winners prove your iPhone is all your need to create captivating images.

Our thanks to Casper for supporting this episode. Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of memory foam and latex, and people everywhere love them. Learn why and save $50 off your order at casper.com/cultcast.

Fixing your broken Apple Watch just got cheaper

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Crack! This one's got to go back to Apple.
Crack! This one's got to go back to Apple.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple is making it cheaper to repair broken Apple Watch Sport units that are no longer under warranty.

In an updated support document covering Apple Watch warranty services and pricing, the company revealed the out-of-warranty service fee on the Sport model has dropped $30.

Apple boosts price of AppleCare+, slashes iCloud storage fees

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AppleCare
79 Apple Stores are part of the pilot.
Photo: Apple

Adding AppleCare+ coverage to your iPhone 6s is going to cost you a little more extra this year. Apple didn’t announce any pricing changes on stage at yesterday’s event, but the company did update its website to reflect the higher prices, and not only will iPhone 6s owners have to pay more to buy AppleCare+, they’ll also be charged more for service fees.