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Apple charges 2X more to fix a Steel Watch as the same aluminium one

30 points by jonplackett 5y ago

jonplackett 5y ago
My Apple Watch 3 died today. Apple sent this price list. What surprised me is for the exact same internals, they will charge you substantially more to fix it depending on the case material. Aluminium is the cheapest at about £150. Steel costs just over £300 and if you were foolish enough to opt for ceramic, that will be £750. To fix the exact same thing! I call foul play.
- twobitshifter 5y ago
  Is it possible that the fix is just a full replacement?
  - jonplackett 5y ago
    Yeah that would make most sense wouldn’t it. Definitely something to bear in mind when buying one though.
  - thedanbob 5y ago
    I mentioned once to an Apple employee that I fixed iPads on the side sometimes. She was surprised because, as she said, even Apple doesn’t fix them; they just give you a new one and charge you half price. Maybe that’s changed by now but I wouldn’t be surprised if it hasn’t, those things are miserable to fix and I bet the Watch is just as bad.
    - Hamuko 5y ago
      iPads tend to get 2-3 out of 10 for repairability from iFixit. Surprisingly the Apple Watch Series 6 gets a whopping 6/10 for repairability. Apple does sell refurbished watches, so it's probably that it's cheaper and more efficient to just grab a new Apple Watch from a box, give it to the customer and throw the old one in the refurbished parts bin. You also don't need a local shop to do repairs since the customer isn't waiting angrily to get their device back, so you can just bulk ship them to some central place. https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished/watch https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished/watch
    - webmobdev 5y ago
      It's still true. I went to get an iPad with a screen problem repaired and they said they don't repair it. If there is an issue, they'll just take it and give you replacement. And obviously charge you an arm and leg for it hoping you'd opt to buy a new iPad. I just went ahead and bought a compatible screen, toolkit and learnt how to replace the screen myself (it was a pain).
- nojito 5y ago
  How is it foul play? You’re getting a new Apple Watch.
  - snypher 5y ago
    Because they are lying about repairing it when it's just a discounted replacement? Should a processor upgrade cost more because my case has led lights and a glass door?
    - smabie 5y ago
      But you're not getting an aluminum watch as a replacement you're getting a steel one (which costs more). Seems fine by me?
      - Nextgrid 5y ago
        Except his watch's case is fine, it's the internals that need fixing. The customer shouldn't have to pay more in this case - Apple should either swallow the cost or actually repair the existing device.
        jonplackett 5y ago
        Yeah that’s what I thought. That seems the fair thing to do - I’m pretty sure it’s died after doing a software update too.
        occoder 5y ago
        I hate these forced software updates with a passion! If you're sure the software update was what killed your watch, you should demand nothing less than a new replacement watch, at no additional cost to you.
        Nextgrid 5y ago
        The fact that a routine software update can fail and brick the device is a defect. This problem has been solved over a decade ago with BIOS updates even on entry-level boards by having 2 BIOSes on the board where the second one can be used to recover from if the first one is bricked, so there's really no excuse for this to be an issue nowadays.
- bleachedsleet 5y ago
  I worked for a time at an Apple Authorized repair shop and watches are not repaired. They’re inspected for warrantable damage, sent to Apple, inspected again for other warrantable damage on the internals, then replaced if authorized. You’re getting a discounted watch, not an inflated repair.
- wdb 5y ago
  £750 that's border line expensive, that's close to the cost of full service of a top tier mechanical watch (think Lange or Patek)
lostgame 5y ago
I never understood, with the limited lifespan each Apple Watch realistically has - why on earth folks would opt for these far more expensive steel or ceramic units; anyways. The biggest atrocity would be the poor folks who spent $10k+ on the original 24k gold Apple Watch Edition Series 0. They are now stuck with an incredibly slow unit that’s locked to WatchOS 4. I get that it’s a fashion thing; I mostly own a Watch as a fashion statement - but even with the extra income to afford it - I just could never imagine choosing to.
- nixgeek 5y ago
  I find the glass on the Titanium scratches less than the others. Believe it’s different glass but the Stainless may also have it? AppleCare+ Warranty for Watch Edition is also 3 years (albeit more expensive to buy) and for when it does get damaged, being able to get a new one for reasonable “in warranty” costs is something I value. I believe AppleCare+ for the others is 2 years, but their new monthly plans might support going >24 months before you’re entirely out of warranty? I didn’t do Edition in the Series 0 timeframe because $10k is ludicrous but the Aluminum vs. Titanium costs are much closer with Series 7.
  - lathiat 5y ago
    The glass is intentionally different. The sports one is supposed to be more shatterproof but scratches easier. The stainless model is much more scratch resistant but shatters easier. My wifes Series 2 lasted a few years with minimal scratching, she got a Series 5 and the face is basically ruined after a year and a bit. It is SO bad.
    - nimish 5y ago
      Sapphire on the higher end ones, "Ion-X" (gorilla glass) on the cheaper ones. Sapphire is more expensive than chemically strengthened glass.
      - ahonhn 5y ago
        So "Sapphire & Steel" Incidentally the initial working title for the UK science fiction series bearing that name was "The Time Menders" :-)
bdcravens 5y ago
A few weeks ago I dropped by Series 6 Stainless Steel. First time I've ever cracked a screen, so I didn't have Apple Care. Definitely sticker shock. I was able to put a cheap screen protector on it, but in the long run, it costs about the same to buy a new Series 7 and sell the cracked watch as it does to fix it.
hvgk 5y ago
Yeah as always no one seems to have got the optimum apple ownership thing yet. 1. Buy the cheapest premium device plus one minor upgrade (more storage etc) as that has the lowest total depreciation. 2. Get AppleCare and pay up front 3. Sell it the moment the AppleCare runs out on eBay. Don’t part exchange it. 4. Your monthly TCO is the sticker price plus AppleCare minus the sale price all divided by the months you owned it. Make sure all the costly events are someone else’s problem. I’m running a whole stack of apple devices with little incidental cost if anything happens and lowest overall ownership. Edit: keep one iphone back which isn’t yet entirely obsolete if you need a backup. Still got a working 6s here.
- liminalsunset 5y ago
  In my local market, I prefer a modified version of this. I buy a second hand last generation Apple device from someone that comes with a year of AppleCare or warranty. I then sell that device and repeat every year or so. AppleCare does not add THAT much value to devices sold on my local aftermarket, so you get a deal on it.
- ryanlol 5y ago
  > 3. Sell it the moment the AppleCare runs out on eBay. Don’t part exchange it. If you destroy the device a day before AppleCare runs out you can swap it for a brand new one, easier to sell.
  - hvgk 5y ago
    Yes but that’s dishonest. I’ve had no problems selling anything yet either. Usually goes within 6 hours here at a well inflated price. I bought an iPhone 12 December 2019 and decided to swap it out for a 13 pro a couple of weeks back for the camera improvements. Apple accidentally refunded the entire AppleCare cost and I sold it for £190 less than I paid for it. So TCO was £16 a month.
    - ryanlol 5y ago
      With recent iphones I’ve yet to have one that didn’t already have cracks on the back glass around the time applecare was about to end, that seems to immediately qualify for a device replacement. Also, doesn’t applecare+ cover scratches and dents anyway? They’d probably swap out a perfectly functional phone over minor damage if you insist, never tried that though.
sschueller 5y ago
I would think it be the other way around as it is much easier to accidentally damage aluminum than steel.
wdb 5y ago
I can get my mechanical watch fixed for less

30 points by jonplackett 5y ago

My Apple Watch 3 died today. Apple sent this price list. What surprised me is for the exact same internals, they will charge you substantially more to fix it depending on the case material. Aluminium is the cheapest at about £150. Steel costs just over £300 and if you were foolish enough to opt for ceramic, that will be £750. To fix the exact same thing! I call foul play.

twobitshifter 5y ago
Is it possible that the fix is just a full replacement?
- jonplackett 5y ago
  Yeah that would make most sense wouldn’t it. Definitely something to bear in mind when buying one though.
- thedanbob 5y ago
  I mentioned once to an Apple employee that I fixed iPads on the side sometimes. She was surprised because, as she said, even Apple doesn’t fix them; they just give you a new one and charge you half price. Maybe that’s changed by now but I wouldn’t be surprised if it hasn’t, those things are miserable to fix and I bet the Watch is just as bad.
  - Hamuko 5y ago
    iPads tend to get 2-3 out of 10 for repairability from iFixit. Surprisingly the Apple Watch Series 6 gets a whopping 6/10 for repairability. Apple does sell refurbished watches, so it's probably that it's cheaper and more efficient to just grab a new Apple Watch from a box, give it to the customer and throw the old one in the refurbished parts bin. You also don't need a local shop to do repairs since the customer isn't waiting angrily to get their device back, so you can just bulk ship them to some central place. https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished/watch https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished/watch
  - webmobdev 5y ago
    It's still true. I went to get an iPad with a screen problem repaired and they said they don't repair it. If there is an issue, they'll just take it and give you replacement. And obviously charge you an arm and leg for it hoping you'd opt to buy a new iPad. I just went ahead and bought a compatible screen, toolkit and learnt how to replace the screen myself (it was a pain).
nojito 5y ago
How is it foul play? You’re getting a new Apple Watch.
- snypher 5y ago
  Because they are lying about repairing it when it's just a discounted replacement? Should a processor upgrade cost more because my case has led lights and a glass door?
  - smabie 5y ago
    But you're not getting an aluminum watch as a replacement you're getting a steel one (which costs more). Seems fine by me?
    - Nextgrid 5y ago
      Except his watch's case is fine, it's the internals that need fixing. The customer shouldn't have to pay more in this case - Apple should either swallow the cost or actually repair the existing device.
      - jonplackett 5y ago
        Yeah that’s what I thought. That seems the fair thing to do - I’m pretty sure it’s died after doing a software update too.
        occoder 5y ago
        I hate these forced software updates with a passion! If you're sure the software update was what killed your watch, you should demand nothing less than a new replacement watch, at no additional cost to you.
        Nextgrid 5y ago
        The fact that a routine software update can fail and brick the device is a defect. This problem has been solved over a decade ago with BIOS updates even on entry-level boards by having 2 BIOSes on the board where the second one can be used to recover from if the first one is bricked, so there's really no excuse for this to be an issue nowadays.
bleachedsleet 5y ago
I worked for a time at an Apple Authorized repair shop and watches are not repaired. They’re inspected for warrantable damage, sent to Apple, inspected again for other warrantable damage on the internals, then replaced if authorized. You’re getting a discounted watch, not an inflated repair.
wdb 5y ago
£750 that's border line expensive, that's close to the cost of full service of a top tier mechanical watch (think Lange or Patek)

lostgame 5y ago

I never understood, with the limited lifespan each Apple Watch realistically has - why on earth folks would opt for these far more expensive steel or ceramic units; anyways. The biggest atrocity would be the poor folks who spent $10k+ on the original 24k gold Apple Watch Edition Series 0. They are now stuck with an incredibly slow unit that’s locked to WatchOS 4. I get that it’s a fashion thing; I mostly own a Watch as a fashion statement - but even with the extra income to afford it - I just could never imagine choosing to.

nixgeek 5y ago
I find the glass on the Titanium scratches less than the others. Believe it’s different glass but the Stainless may also have it? AppleCare+ Warranty for Watch Edition is also 3 years (albeit more expensive to buy) and for when it does get damaged, being able to get a new one for reasonable “in warranty” costs is something I value. I believe AppleCare+ for the others is 2 years, but their new monthly plans might support going >24 months before you’re entirely out of warranty? I didn’t do Edition in the Series 0 timeframe because $10k is ludicrous but the Aluminum vs. Titanium costs are much closer with Series 7.
- lathiat 5y ago
  The glass is intentionally different. The sports one is supposed to be more shatterproof but scratches easier. The stainless model is much more scratch resistant but shatters easier. My wifes Series 2 lasted a few years with minimal scratching, she got a Series 5 and the face is basically ruined after a year and a bit. It is SO bad.
  - nimish 5y ago
    Sapphire on the higher end ones, "Ion-X" (gorilla glass) on the cheaper ones. Sapphire is more expensive than chemically strengthened glass.
    - ahonhn 5y ago
      So "Sapphire & Steel" Incidentally the initial working title for the UK science fiction series bearing that name was "The Time Menders" :-)

bdcravens 5y ago

A few weeks ago I dropped by Series 6 Stainless Steel. First time I've ever cracked a screen, so I didn't have Apple Care. Definitely sticker shock. I was able to put a cheap screen protector on it, but in the long run, it costs about the same to buy a new Series 7 and sell the cracked watch as it does to fix it.

hvgk 5y ago

Yeah as always no one seems to have got the optimum apple ownership thing yet. 1. Buy the cheapest premium device plus one minor upgrade (more storage etc) as that has the lowest total depreciation. 2. Get AppleCare and pay up front 3. Sell it the moment the AppleCare runs out on eBay. Don’t part exchange it. 4. Your monthly TCO is the sticker price plus AppleCare minus the sale price all divided by the months you owned it. Make sure all the costly events are someone else’s problem. I’m running a whole stack of apple devices with little incidental cost if anything happens and lowest overall ownership. Edit: keep one iphone back which isn’t yet entirely obsolete if you need a backup. Still got a working 6s here.

liminalsunset 5y ago
In my local market, I prefer a modified version of this. I buy a second hand last generation Apple device from someone that comes with a year of AppleCare or warranty. I then sell that device and repeat every year or so. AppleCare does not add THAT much value to devices sold on my local aftermarket, so you get a deal on it.
ryanlol 5y ago
> 3. Sell it the moment the AppleCare runs out on eBay. Don’t part exchange it. If you destroy the device a day before AppleCare runs out you can swap it for a brand new one, easier to sell.
- hvgk 5y ago
  Yes but that’s dishonest. I’ve had no problems selling anything yet either. Usually goes within 6 hours here at a well inflated price. I bought an iPhone 12 December 2019 and decided to swap it out for a 13 pro a couple of weeks back for the camera improvements. Apple accidentally refunded the entire AppleCare cost and I sold it for £190 less than I paid for it. So TCO was £16 a month.
  - ryanlol 5y ago
    With recent iphones I’ve yet to have one that didn’t already have cracks on the back glass around the time applecare was about to end, that seems to immediately qualify for a device replacement. Also, doesn’t applecare+ cover scratches and dents anyway? They’d probably swap out a perfectly functional phone over minor damage if you insist, never tried that though.

sschueller 5y ago

I would think it be the other way around as it is much easier to accidentally damage aluminum than steel.

wdb 5y ago

I can get my mechanical watch fixed for less