Thursday night I went with my family to see the premier of Venom at the local AMC Theatre. We drive an extra ten miles to this theater because it is not in the mall and they have the big comfy reclining seats.
After the movie but before the post credits scene, I slip out to the restroom. On the way back I noticed that my pocket that normally holds my phone is empty. Mind you this is my practically brand new gold iPhone XS. My son helps by call ing my number. I can see the phone flashing. I reach into the works of the mechanical power recliner which is now in the upright position and pull out a mangled hunk of metal. I immediately recognize that it is fatal. Even the leather case is scored from the scissor mechanism that had so comfortably raised my feet for the previous two hours. I had to wait until I got home to truly appreciate the damage.
In reality the damage was not that bad. The screen was not broke. The phone still worked for the most part except for the side button that is used for forcing the phone to sleep, take a screen shot, or reboot. At this point, there was really only one option. Take it to the Apple Store. Next available appointment was Saturday. I would have to limp along until then.
On Apple’s web site, I was offered a half dozen other places authorized for this kind of repair. Each could have taken care of my problem a couple days early. I always opt for the drive out to the Apple Store and this time is once again paid off.
Apple Care. No. I declined it. Assuming that I take care of my devices, the math shows that this is a good decision. However, when you are holding a bit of twisted metal in your hand you get to second guess that decision. Apple Care and carrier insurance cost $10 per month, so that’s $120 per year. On the surface that sounds cheap but in reality it’s like paying 25% more for your phone. So the question is are you likely to trash your phone more than once in a four year period? If the answer is yes, then the insurance is probably a good idea. If you are on the fence, then put a ten dollar bill in a box every month and consider yourself self-insured. If nothing happens you have a nice down payment on the next phone.
Then it is time for my appointment. The store is as usual a mad house. No problem, I have an appointment. I’m led to a table to wait. I’m greeted by a cheerful Filipe. The prognosis is clear. I can hear taps playing. Apple has a repair price list on the web site so I was not surprised to hear that I would be paying $549 for my crushed device. So he is sympathetic as he swipes my card causing a new phone to materialize on the table ready to take on the identity of “my new iPhone”.
This is were the story takes an unexpected turn. Just as I am verifying my taxed payment, a breathless angel appears and directs my attendant to stop the payment. Some sort of coded alert had popped up on her overlord screen. Because of the newness of the phone, Apple wants to hear about an incident like this so their crime scene investigators can look at my phone’s black box and use it to improve the next model. I’m of course more than willing to trade my story for a new free phone. Yeah!
The moral of the story is to always go to the Apple Store. They may not always be able to help but sometimes they are empowered to grant wishes.