Why the AppleCare Protection Plan for iPods is Not Worth Buying

Extended Warranties
Most consumer advocates strongly recommend that consumers not purchase extended warranties. The reasons behind such advice are best summed up in an article by former electronics salesperson, Solomon Rothman, "Electronic stores make more money off the extended service plans than any other product. The plans themselves don't cover any accidental damage. That includes anything they determine could have be caused by accidental use, even if it wasn't. Although the sales counselor will tell you they are very reasonable, that's not necessarily true. If they can justify not paying for the repair, they will. . . .Most of the repairs actually needed do occur within the manufacturer's warranty period and thus are covered."

Consumer reporting sites list the most common problems with various products, and sometimes include the estimated cost of the repair. Many of the common problems with iPods are those the average consumer can repair for free on their own. Others will not be covered under the warranty, or the cost of the repair is less than the cost of the warranty.

Terms of the AppleCare Protection Plan for the iPod
Across the internet, there are complaints about consumers trying to use the AppleCare protection plan. Complaints center around repair center determinations that the problem is 'not covered' and the cost of the actual repair needed being less than the cost of the extended warranty.

In the terms of the coverage, [Section 2: Repair and Return Service Provided, e. Limitations. (v)], it is clearly stated that many problems will not be covered, "Damage to the Covered Equipment caused by accident, abuse, neglect, misuse (including faulty installation, repair, or maintenance by anyone other than Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider) ,unauthorized modification, extreme environment (including extreme temperature or humidity), extreme physical or electrical stress or interference, fluctuation or surges of electrical power, lightning, static electricity, fire, acts of God or other external causes;". The repair center is the ultimate judge as to the problem and cause. If they deem it a problem that is not covered under the warranty, you are tough out of luck.

The terms of coverage also states very clearly that cosmetic damage will not be covered by the extended warranty; and neither will loss of data. If there is any damage to the serial number or if they believe the damage has been caused by something that is not 'covered equipment', the iPod is not covered for return or repair.

Since accidents, cosmetic damage, and loss of data are not covered, if you are typically hard on electronics, the warranty is most likely not for you. In fact, due to those and the other limitations, for most consumers, the warranty simply is not worth it.

Common iPod Issues and How to Fix Them Yourself: Resources
As stated above, in many cases, common problems with iPods may be corrected for free by the consumer.

If you need help with the five r's (reset, retry, restart, reinstall, and restore), the Apple website has free online information to walk you through the process for your particular model.

If the problem is a frozen iPod, a broken hard drive, or your computer erased your songs, this article, "Common iPod Problems and How to Fix Them!" may provide the answers you are seeking.

When you have problems with your iPod locking up, having an exclamation point issue, showing the frowning face, or if it just isn't syncing, a tip sheet from worldstart.com can help you get your iPod back up and running, error-free.

SOURCES:

What Consumers Should Know About Extended Warranties and Performance Service Plans for Electronics: the Cons Far Outweigh the Pros - A Former Employee Speaks Out. Solomon Rothman. October 3, 2005. Associated Content.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/10358/what_consumers_should_know_about_extended.html?page=3
(Accessed December 26, 2007)

AppleCare Protection Plan - iPod nano or iPod shuffle. Apple Store.
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore?productLearnMore=MA964LL/A
(Accessed December 28, 2007)

AppleCare Protection Plan for iPod: Terms and Conditions (pdf). Apple.com
http://www.apple.com/support/products/pdf/applecare_ipod_t_and_c_11182003.pdf
(Accessed December 28, 2007)

iPod 5Rs Troubleshooting Assistant. Apple.Com
http://www.apple.com/support/ipod/five_rs/
(Accessed December 28, 2007)

Common iPod Problems and How to Fix Them! Reverend Kate. May 26, 2006. Associated Content.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/34232/common_ipod_problems_and_how_to_fix.html
(Accessed December 28, 2007)

Tip#3524 - Common iPod Problems: Fixed. Erin. World Start.
http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/3524
(Accessed December 28, 2007)