Following a report yesterday regarding incoming improvements to the AppleCare program and its customer support tools, Apple has rolled out an update to its Support Communities website that includes a fresh new design.
The new look is cleaner and more streamlined than its predecessor, which makes for easier navigation, and it extends throughout the portal. It even reaches the forums, where users congregate to resolve various problems...
According to the well-connected blogger Mark Gurman, citing Apple employees that wish to remain anonymous, Apple Vice President of AppleCare and technical support Tara Bunch held a Town Hall meeting this week for AppleCare employees. At the meeting, several upcoming improvements to AppleCare+ and other support platforms were outlined.
Bunch hinted that AppleCare+ may be expanded to additional countries, although it is a challenging process because of the insurance and government-related legal processes that vary between countries worldwide. Bunch also told employees that Apple is testing a pilot program to expand the eligibility window for purchasing AppleCare+ to 60 days. Several other changes are incoming…
For quite some time now, Apple has been at odds with EU watchdogs who've been complaining a lot about the iPhone maker's unacceptable stance and practices when it comes to educating EU buyers on their consumer rights.
At the heart of the issue: Apple's unwillingness to explain to its users in an unambiguous manner that EU consumer laws entitle them to at least two years of coverage on consumer electronics.
As Apple's standard warranty provides twelve months of coverage, the company was caught cunningly beating around the bush by attempting to upsell buyers to its pricey AppleCare+ extended protection plan, which it introduced last September in the United Kingdom, Italy, France and elsewhere in Europe.
Apple was even fined over this in Italy and now comes word that a Belgium judge has contemplated blocking access to all Apple websites in the country because the company has continued to mislead consumers about warranty protections available for products purchased from its brick-and-mortar and online stores...
As promised in a report earlier this month, Apple has begun repairing iPhone 5c screens in-store this week. 5c owners with cracked or otherwise damaged displays can now take their handsets into their local Apple stores and have them repaired quickly for a flat fee.
Apple has been doing this since last year for the iPhone 5, but just recently updated the hardware and training necessary to work with the newer models. The move is the company's latest effort to cut down on device repair and—perhaps most of all—replacement costs...
Apple has come under fire again for its overseas warranty practices this week. The company is being forced to change its return and repair policies to fit under Australian consumer law after it was found to be lying to consumers about their entitled coverage.
Under ACL, warranties are expected to be kept in effect "for the amount of time that it is reasonable to expect, given the cost and quality of an item." So essentially, there's no set expiration date to them. But apparently, Apple has been telling folks differently...
Apple products, for the most part, have a reputation of 'just working.' The company controls the entire experience, from hardware to software, and takes other measures to ensure that there is little room for consumer error.
But as with all electronics, sometimes things don't just work and you need help. And while Apple is known for its in-store Genius service, it's launched a new initiative encouraging users to stay home and get help online...
Apple has updated its support site this week with a new feature allowing users to initiate screen-sharing with AppleCare representatives when receiving Mac help via phone call. This option was previously reserved for reps only.
But enabling customers to initiate screen-sharing with a support tech will one, give them more control over their overall support experience, and two, help facilitate quicker, more accurate responses from Apple's support staff...
The AppleCare support staff has begun official OS X Mavericks training in anticipation of the looming OS X Mavericks release, a reliable blog has learned. The upcoming Mac desktop operating system release should hit the Mac App Store before November and will bring a host of improvements and new features, including Maps integration across desktop and mobile, better handling of notifications, and several new features for power users. Apple first demoed OS X Mavericks at its summer developer conference in June 2013...
Hot on the heels of yesterday's iPhone 5s/5c introduction, Apple has quietly brought its premium $99 AppleCare+ iPhone coverage to the United Kingdom, France and Italy. The extended coverage plan - previously limited to customers in the United States, Canada and Japan - covers up to two incidents of accidental damage from handling of your device.
Not only is Apple taking the AppleCare+ coverage to more places, but more devices as well. Today, we learn that AppleCare+ is now available for two iPod devices: the iPod touch and the iPod classic...
If you're planning on buying a brand spanking new iPhone 5c or treat yourself to one of the colorful new plastic iPhones, you'd be wise to consider Apple's $99 AppleCare+ extended warranty coverage.
Because, for all the talk of the iPhone 5c's seamless hard-coated polycarbonate plastic shell ("you won’t see seams, or part lines, or joins,” Apple boasts; here's how it's made), the device is in fact prone to scratches and can be damaged.
The problem is, AppleCare+ is only available in the United States, Canada and Japan. Well, not anymore. Today, the extended warranty coverage is available to customers in the United Kingdom, France and Italy. Learn more just after the break...
We already told you that Apple has cancelled support personnel vacations from September 15-28 and is now training AppleCare support employees on iOS 7 and iTunes Radio ahead of the iPhone 5S/5C introduction next month.
Yesterday, word on the street was that Tim Cook & Co. were gearing up to roll out the extended AppleCare+ coverage for iOS devices in key European markets.
First details are now beginning to trickle in.
Allegedly, the AppleCare+ launch is now "imminent" in the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Germany, France and Switzerland, at least initially. If true, this will be the first time Apple offered the $99 extended coverage and premium support service to customers outside the United States, Canada and Japan...
Just like it did ahead of every iPhone launch since the original iPhone's release back in the summer of 2007, Apple is now canceling vacations for its AppleCare support personnel ahead of next month's release of new iPhones. Specifically, Apple is restricting employees from taking time off from September 15 and all the way through September 28.
Of course, Apple during this two-week window is expected to announce and start selling the iPhone 5S/5C and release iOS 7 for public consumption. Just earlier today, we reported the firm is now asking its registered developers to update their applications with app icons optimized for the new iOS 7 sizes...