Phone Repairs: the Extended Warranty Gamble

In almost every electronic situation, the kindly salesperson will ask, “Do you want the extended warranty with that?” Even Apple are covered under an extended warranty program, also known as the AppleCare+. Today, we’re going to look at extended warranty coverage for cell phones and electronics such as PS 4, and tablets, and other devices.

Cost

The cost of an extended warranty is hefty: 10 to 20 percent of the retail price of the item in most cases. We should point out here that this is in addition to the manufacturer’s warranty. The reason that manufacturer's offer a warranty is because they understand that things going wrong is a normal part of manufacturing products, and they aren’t in the business of building garbage, even though one or two will occasionally slip through the cracks. So, to protect their brand, they offer the warranty.

What is the bet?

Say you’ve owned the device through the period of the initial warranty. A poorly made device will have shown it’s true mettle by now. It’s unlikely that the cell phone or other device is going to go wonky after the regular warranty period. So, the only way you’re going to be able to cash in on an extended warranty is if you break it. Thus, an extended warranty is your way of saying, “I bet money I will break this device by the time the extended warranty expires.” It’s no more complicated than that.

When does a warranty make sense?

An extended warranty makes sense if a person uses the device under very hazardous circumstances for an extended period in a way that an excellent case won’t cover. In most cases (over 98%), a warranty won’t pay off in the time frame it covers. So the consumer either has to extend the warranty again or give it up.

Alternatives

Buy a great case. A sturdy case can save a device from an astonishing amount of damage. Getting a phone or other device repaired by a third party repair company is also an excellent use of resources in the event the phone breaks. Sure, it costs more than the warranty, but there is a 98% chance you won’t need it. A third option is to buy the same device used and transfer the data. A fourth option (but we don’t recommend this) is to continue to use the cell phone even with a broken screen. The reason we don’t support this option is broken glass and the potential to be cut by it exists.

Either way, it’s very worthwhile to find out the cost of a repair before you decide you have to live with damage or spend the money for another phone.

We hope this has provided you with a better overview of the extended warranty and when it’s a viable option and when there are better ways to spend your money.

Call us at 480-435-9330 if you need a highly-rated, expert cellphone repair company to repair your iPhone, Samsung, PS4, XBox, iPad or tablet.