The saga continues…

From: Jeff Pitzer
Subject: Re: A Bit More iPhone 5

Hey Bob,

I was an Apple retail employee from Mar. 2011 to Feb 2012. Water damage is covered in AppleCare plus, which is what you now purchase with a new iPhone. It covers 2 incidents of accidental damage including water damage. My mom had her phone swapped under AppleCare plus because of water damage. The traditional AppleCare coverage did not cover water damage, only manufacturer’s defects. This is what you can buy with a computer. It extends the normal AppleCare coverage for an additional year or 2. I hope that clears things up.

Pitzer

I’m getting e-mail about this from all over the world. Half from people who believe water damage is covered and have who believe the opposite.

I point you to two articles from the Apple site:

1. iPhone and iPod: Liquid damage is not covered by warranty

Relevant language:

“If an iPhone or iPod has been damaged by liquid (for example, coffee or a soft drink), the service for such liquid damage is not covered by the Apple one year limited warranty or an AppleCare Protection Plan (APP).”

This note was last updated on October 18, 2012

2. AppleCare+ for iPhone

Relevant language:

“Coverage for up to two incidents of accidental damage from handling, each subject to a $49 service fee plus applicable tax.”

Footnote re the above:

Service coverage is available only for the iPhone and its original included accessories for protection against (i) defects in materials or workmanship (ii) battery depletion of 50 percent or more from original specification, and (iii) up to two incidents of accidental damage from handling, each incident being subject to a $49 service fee plus applicable tax. Replacement equipment that Apple provides as part of the repair or replacement service may be new or equivalent to new in both performance and reliability. See terms at http://www.apple.com/legal/applecare/applecareplusforiphone.html for full details.

If you click through to the link, you find this language:

3.2 Accidental Damage from Handling

ADH coverage only applies to an operational or mechanical failure caused by an accident from handling that is the result of an unexpected and unintentional external event (e.g., drops and liquid contact) that arises from your normal daily usage of the Covered iPhone as intended for such Covered iPhone.

Reading the above, my interpretation is the iPhone 5 is covered for water damage under AppleCare +.

But Apple certainly does not make it clear.

Subject:     Re: A Bit More iPhone 5

I work at an Apple store. It does protect against water damage. In fact, in buying AppleCare, you get 2 “incidents” of damage protection, whatever the cause. You can even swap out your phone if you don’t like the scratch your keys made on the front of it. 2 chances to swap out your phone for 49 bucks in two years.

Maybe don’t publish my name cause of the insane confidentiality agreement I signed to work there.

Sent from my iPhone

Subject:     Re: A Bit More iPhone 5

Hey Bob. I know it’s confusing. You’ll notice in the first article that it doesn’t mention AppleCare+, only Apple’s limited 1 year warranty and AppleCare Protection Plan. This was Apple’s old AppleCare service. If I remember correctly you could purchase that for $79 anytime within the first year of your original warranty to extend your warranty another year. It did not cover accidental damage including water damage. I went through the genius training program right before I left so I learned all about the water sensors.

Once the iPhone 4S was released, they changed their Apple Care plan for iOS devices. Instead of traditional Apple Care (just like with computers but 2 years instead of 3 years), they started covering accidental damage. This is why the price went up to $99.

I don’t know why the first link is still on Apple’s website when it mentions the old AppleCare protection plan, but that is not the same as AppleCare+. Think about it, it wouldn’t make sense to cover other incidents of accidental damage and not liquid damage, which in essence is a form of accidental damage.

And I can testify to the fact that my mother’s phone fell in the toilet and they swapped it out under AppleCare+.

Peace,

Jeff Pitzer