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Apple Will Charge You $69 To Replace a Lost AirPod (macrumors.com) 253

Apple's AirPods finally went on sale earlier this week after being announced in September and delayed in October. Now that people are able to actually purchase these wireless earphones for $159, many are wondering what happens if they lose an AirPod. Apple has recently updated its repair and replacement costs for AirPods on its iPhone Service Pricing Page, mentioning a $69 fee for those who need to replace an AirPod or charging case. Mac Rumors reports: Apple doesn't appear to be offering AppleCare+ for AirPods, instead providing a standard one-year warranty that's available on all Apple products. If the AirPods need service during that one year period, all work will be covered for free. After the one-year warranty has expired, Apple will charge a $69 fee for out-of-warranty service repairs. Battery service for AirPods that lose battery capacity is free during the one-year warranty period or $49 out of warranty. If you lose or damage one of the AirPods or the charging case, Apple will charge $69 for a replacement, regardless of whether or not the AirPods are still under warranty. The pricing in Apple's support document is U.S. pricing, and will vary based on country.
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Apple Will Charge You $69 To Replace a Lost AirPod

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  • One word... (Score:5, Funny)

    by djbckr ( 673156 ) on Thursday December 15, 2016 @08:07PM (#53494455)
    To people who buy these, I have one word: Courage.
    • Addicts.

      People will buy Apple crap solely about the name.

      My sister bought an Apple laptop because "the Windows one got viruses". Here daughters would click on anything.

      My Bro in law bought an Apple tablet. Now he's reduced himself to 2 or three word replies to messages because he can't type on it but he always buys the latest one.

  • by Fire_Wraith ( 1460385 ) on Thursday December 15, 2016 @08:07PM (#53494463)
    That's why I'll be offering a special device called an AirPods retention strap. It consists of a small cord connected to the end of each AirPod, that you tie to the device. It's so genius, and so obvious, I don't know why anyone never thought of doing that before.
    • by forty-2 ( 145915 ) on Thursday December 15, 2016 @08:09PM (#53494475)

      What if you could use this same cord to charge the batteries in those wireless headphones?

    • by Arkh89 ( 2870391 ) on Thursday December 15, 2016 @08:11PM (#53494489)

      You'd better patent that one fast... or let Apple do it for you...

      • It's too obvious. You need to add a twist, like using the wires to send the audio as a backup for when the batteries run out.

      • That's why I'll be offering a special device called an AirPods retention strap. It consists of a small cord connected to the end of each AirPod, that you tie to the device. It's so genius, and so obvious, I don't know why anyone never thought of doing that before.

        You'd better patent that one fast... or let Apple do it for you...

        Too slow: https://www.amazon.com/Spigen-... [amazon.com]

    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • by msauve ( 701917 ) on Thursday December 15, 2016 @08:44PM (#53494631)
      " I don't know why anyone never thought of doing that before."

      Get your $10 string, right here [amazon.com].
    • Some people do a similar thing with mittens for kids. Tie them together with a string run through the coat sleeves.

      I think these Airpods will actually need something like that if they are not to become like pennies or contact lenses.

    • by dj245 ( 732906 )

      That's why I'll be offering a special device called an AirPods retention strap. It consists of a small cord connected to the end of each AirPod, that you tie to the device. It's so genius, and so obvious, I don't know why anyone never thought of doing that before.

      You jest, but it is probably going to happen as a way to deflect liability for broken devices. My hearing aid [oticonmedical.com] has the potential to be bumped off and it has an small strap with an aligator clip. I have never used it (nor heard of anyone who does) but the description in the manual indicates that it is clearly a liability dodge.

  • Shock and awe (Score:5, Insightful)

    by ColdWetDog ( 752185 ) on Thursday December 15, 2016 @08:08PM (#53494465) Homepage

    Amazing. Manufacturer doesn't replace lost objects, has one year warranty*.

    Shocked. Just shocked at this shameless corporate behavior.

    * possibly longer in more civilized regions of the world

    • Re:Shock and awe (Score:5, Interesting)

      by 93 Escort Wagon ( 326346 ) on Thursday December 15, 2016 @08:15PM (#53494519)

      The summary mentions AppleCare+, but that program has never covered loss - plus it's specific to iPhones.

      Regular AppleCare - the program which is offered for most other Apple products - has never covered physical damage. It's the same sort of extended warranty most electronics companies offer (assuming they offer extended warranties at all). Heck, the warranty on my Sennheiser headphones won't fix them for free if I run over them with a car.

      • Re:Shock and awe (Score:5, Insightful)

        by ColdWetDog ( 752185 ) on Thursday December 15, 2016 @09:34PM (#53494861) Homepage

        Actually Sennheiser is pretty good. Snapped the band on a three year old set of 380's. They fixed it for free. Now, if you ran over it, I suspect they would take a somewhat different view of the problem.

        But that is one of the differences between a high end product and the great morass of stuff. Aftermarket service. Of course, how important that is depends on the initial price and propensity to break, YMMV, expensive doesn't always give you good value.

        But sometimes it's worth it.

    • by mysidia ( 191772 )

      The amazing thing is the manufacturer charges $150 for a crappy pair of wireless headphones
      replacing formerly perfectly serviceable wired earbuds to
      solve a problem they created.

    • If the AirPod drops on the ground, it might get cooties. I wonder if that's covered as well. I sure wouldn't want to put that back in my ear.

    • Me I'm more interested at the thought that a manufacturer would sell such a small object that can easily fall out, and gets removed an inserted constantly.

      I think Apple should sell a tether for them. Like a small cords that connects to each ear bud. With a small design change you could connect them to the phone so they always start together and if they fall out they don't disappear down a drain or through a grate.

    • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      What upsets people is that they are selling a very, very expensive set of earbuds that seem to be carefully designed to get lost. They are so small you could easily lose one down a drain or into some crevice just by dropping it. I look at those things and just know I couldn't avoid losing one if I was using them regularly. Best of all, they removed the headphone jack so you don't even have a choice of using wired headphones without an expensive dongle chain, which is also easy to lose.

      It wouldn't be so bad

  • $159 (Score:5, Funny)

    by 110010001000 ( 697113 ) on Thursday December 15, 2016 @08:09PM (#53494477) Homepage Journal
    $159 for headphones? How stupid are people? Oh wait...
    • Priced Bose lately?

      • Priced Bose lately?

        It think my Bose noise cancelling headphones cost $350. I've used them pretty much every day for over a decade. I've replaced the batteries and the pads when they wore out. They still work great and were certainly cheaper in the long run than the continuous re-buying of cheap earbuds that I observe other family members doing as they break or get lost.

        • by cdrudge ( 68377 )

          They still work great and were certainly cheaper in the long run than the continuous re-buying of cheap earbuds that I observe other family members doing as they break or get lost.

          That's an invalid comparison. How many expensive headphones have you observed other family members going though? How many cheap earbuds have you lost?

          There's zero chance I'd trust my teens to care for a $350 pair of headphones. I buy them $3 shitty earbuds from Walmart. Yeah, they'll break usually in a few months from abuse. Say I

    • by DogDude ( 805747 )
      $159 for headphones? How stupid are people? Oh wait...

      Trump.
    • I don't think I've ever used headphones that cheap.

      Now earbuds on the other hand, who would spend that money on apple earbuds.

    • I guess what they are saying is that if you lose an ear bud, you can get a replacement for $10 less than what it would be new...

      So... basically, they have a SKU for one ear bud....

  • by bobbied ( 2522392 ) on Thursday December 15, 2016 @08:12PM (#53494499)

    Apple is and always has been expensive for what you get. They make healthy profits by doing this. They are not going to change the business model just because folks complain. Now if they don't sell, THEN expect them to change the price, but I have a feeling they will sell like hotcakes like most of what Apple introduces. They have a knack for that kind of thing.

    So, if you want those new fangled ear pods and get rid of that pesky cord, be prepared to pay Apple what they ask. I mean that cell phone you got was nearly $1K anyway, so what's a few hundred more? If you cannot afford this, then may I suggest you stick with that 6S and the live with the cord...

    • People that spend too much on Apple products are similar to folks that spend lots of money on expensive purses.

    • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      In a few years the 7 will be the cheap model, and they won't offer anything with a headphone socket.

      You might as well buy a better spec Android phone for 1/4th the price today, rather than throw more money into their hostile ecosystem.

  • And this is why I bought the iPhone SE, because it has a headphone socket. If I am out of town and forgotten to bring my headphones, a pair of $9 throw aways will suffice for the day. And when I am on planes / trains I have a pair of active noise cancelling bluetooth headphones (that STILL cost less than a pair of EarPods ) and came with a 3 year warranty. Yes I appreciate the wireless, however leaving out the socket is putting form over function, and no its nothing like having a keyboard on the screen vs
  • by hsmith ( 818216 ) on Thursday December 15, 2016 @08:15PM (#53494515)
    If I lose a pen, I don't expect Bic to give me a new one for free.
    • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      Bic pens cost $0.10. If I lose one it's not worth spending more than about 5 seconds looking for it.

      That's the point here. It's not that people want a free replacement, it's that they know they will inevitably lose one and end up paying out $80 multiple times, and there is no insurance/cover package to reduce that cost.

    • by rhazz ( 2853871 )
      Bic-pineapple-apple-bic.

      ... nope, doesn't work.
  • by chrism238 ( 657741 ) on Thursday December 15, 2016 @08:17PM (#53494525)
    How can a single AirPod possibly be replaced!? Surely each pair is personally handcrafted and matched by Jony Ive and his elves, each pair with a unique acoustic fingerprint that's as individual as your refined individual personality? To separate a single AirPod from its partner for life is enough of a crime against Humanity, but to flirtively attempt to mate it with another - surely not!
  • by zieroh ( 307208 ) on Thursday December 15, 2016 @08:26PM (#53494561)

    What kind of bumblefuck clickbait headline is that?

    In other news, GM charges full price to replace your car if you lose it.

    Jesus H. Christ on a motherfucking crutch, I didn't think slashdot, having reached the bottom of the hill, could keep rolling downwards.

    • What kind of bumblefuck clickbait headline is that?

      In other news, GM charges full price to replace your car if you lose it.

      Jesus H. Christ on a motherfucking crutch, I didn't think slashdot, having reached the bottom of the hill, could keep rolling downwards.

      Nope, there's still a few hundred feet further down to the bottom. I wonder if Androids give you free replacements forever if you lose parts for them?

      Regardless, it's just another way to generate clicks over the spawn of Beelzabub iPhone 7's lack of the standard and inferior headphone jack. I bit, since I'm here, but I wouldnt be too surprised if one of these days, I decide that the clickbait to interesting article ratio isn't worth the effort to even look. That the troll isn't only some of the posters, b

    • Slashdot is not rolling downwards anymore. It is digging.

    • by v1 ( 525388 )

      I can't believe I had to scroll through THAT much whining to see this post. Do all those people honestly expect any manufacturer to replace a product for free if you lose it? (curious that, I didn't see a single example being compared against Apple's policy) Are they really that retarded?

    • But they aren't charging full price if you lose one of the earbuds. In fact, couldn't I save money by buying the left and right separately?
    • Gunny Ermey, is that you?

    • My GM doesn't have a newly introduced feature that gives you an additional 1000 options to lose it. Actually it's the opposite, GM now sells cars with features specifically to prevent you losing it.

      • If the phone had a tracker for the buds, including last known location if the power dies, that would be sweet.

        As it stands, I would never use these outside the house, and even then there's a terror of it flinging off somewhere when I was walking and didn't notice.

        Hehe, they should include an optional string to tie the buds together, and to tie that to the phone.

      • by zieroh ( 307208 )

        My GM doesn't have a newly introduced feature that gives you an additional 1000 options to lose it. Actually it's the opposite, GM now sells cars with features specifically to prevent you losing it.

        Yes. Let's get hung up on pedantic details. They're much more fun than the point.

  • I can't fault a manufacturer for not covering lost / damaged items within a warranty period. That's why some credit cards will cover you for lost/damaged goods. AMEX has been great with lost/damaged stuff for me (ran over a usb headset that dropped out of my ear once). Also Allianz and others will sell you loss/damage insurance which is cheap considering replacement cost of some of these items. I have my portables all covered this way and

    • Good thing it fell out of your ear first...

    • I have my portables all covered this way and

      ... my non-portables can go to hell
      ... sometimes *that* way
      ... I like juice
      ... the skies are not cloudy all day
      ... my life is not going as I had hoped
      ... my husband thinks I have OCD

  • Just pretend you lost the L one, then the R one, thus get both of them for 138 instead of 159!
  • where Apple got the "courage" to eliminate the headphone jack. It wasn't courage at all - just greed. Not that anybody's surprised at that, I guess.

  • ...

    Apple Will Charge You $69 To Replace a Lost AirPod

    think so.

  • by Archfeld ( 6757 ) <treboreel@live.com> on Friday December 16, 2016 @01:35AM (#53495665) Journal

    Why do Airpods require an iCloud account for use ? Is there an actual technical reason or just because they can ?

    (1) Requires an iCloud account and macOS Sierra, iOS 10, or watchOS 3.

    • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      Auto-pairing.

      Bluetooth pairing is a pain in the arse, especially on small devices like these. Apple decided to simplify it with an extension to the pairing protocol and by syncing the pairing details across devices via iCloud.

      Their phones don't have proper NFC so that's the only option.

      • Auto-pairing.

        Bluetooth pairing is a pain in the arse, especially on small devices like these. Apple decided to simplify it with an extension to the pairing protocol and by syncing the pairing details across devices via iCloud.

        Their phones don't have proper NFC so that's the only option.

        The cynic in me thinks its to push people to iCloud. You can't breath on an iOS 10 device or a MacOS Sierra computer without it trying to force you into enabling iCloud sync. Seriously. I updated to iOS 10.2 on my phone and it enabled all kinds of iCloud sync shit I had specifically said no to when I configured the device. I also just updated my machine with the latest version of SIerra and of course i have to go through and tell it twice that I am absolutely positive that I want nothing to do with iClo

        • by crtreece ( 59298 )

          Why do they prompt me for this crap every time I do anything with a device that is already configured and working?

          Apple marketing switched to the "Windows 10" marketing strategy. If they keep bugging you about it, eventually you'll either hit the wrong button and end up with an iCloud account, or you'll sign up on purpose to make the nag screens go away.

  • I don't want to say I am psychic or anything... but there's some proof [slashdot.org]. Okay, maybe the price was wrong... though it's interesting that you can get two replacement earpods for less than retail of new...
  • Simply tie one end of a wire to each AirPod, and fasten the other end of each wire to the device in your pocket.

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