I just bit the bullet and purchased AppleCare for the iPhone. I figure the $69 cost of admission is well worth the insurance for two years of smooth use. It apparently covers the battery, which has been my biggest concern.

In all the 3GS is a big step up from the original iPhone I had been using and it is much more of a business and productivity tool considering the speed. I really have no reason to switch on WiFi.

AppleCare provides some peace of mind considering the phone will be under contract for two years and the AppleCare coverage matches to the day the contract terms.

AppleCare is the one extended warranty I’ll buy or recommend—and I do recommend it.

I definitely recommend AppleCare for laptops and iMacs. They both are relatively difficult to open (especially the newer iMacs which require screen removal for everything but RAM swap), and 99% of the parts used within are proprietary Apple.  Lose a screen or a motherboard and AppleCare becomes a VERY cheap investment.

For the MacPro machines, it may not turn out to be a guaranteed win but, over time, it’s likely worth it.

For the iPhone it’s a different animal.  They do cover quite a bit, but nothing accidental, etc. This is the one device where I’m 50/50 on it (or, if you look at my purchases, 33/66 given that I’ve purchased—and used—AppleCare on only one of my 3 iPhones).

The most important thing to remember here is that Apple’s entire support infrastructure is build around you having AppleCare. Without it, support becomes a much more cumbersome—and often disappointing—process.  The lone exception to this is the Genius Bar where oftentimes Apple’s obsession with customer service results in Geniuses that will go above and beyond for someone who doesn’t have a warranty (this is a good thing, of course).  Still, if you have significant problems with your machine, your AppleCare status is often the tipping point if you ever have to call Customer Relations to see about a machine replacement or some such.

In short, I do recommend it for Laptops and iMacs, I’m on the fence with iPhones and Mac Pros (and Mac Minis, simply because they’re so cheap to begin with).

Ordinarily I’d pass on AppleCare for might be considered a lower-cost Apple device. But I’m beginning to rely on the 3GS iPhone so much I want a no-hassle repair option. The AppleCare program has earned its keep in our household. The last time I sent off a Mac laptop for repair (shipping box received at my wife’s office on a Monday morning, returned Thursday morning), they not only replaced the failed hard drive, Apple also replaced the top plate on the MacBook because the repair folks said it had become unsightly from wear.

Should the iPhone fail for any reason, I expect it to be fixed quickly and without hassles under AppleCare. I consider the $69 cost of AppleCare a quick repair insurance policy for the length of time the phone is under contract. The fact that the battery is covered added to the allure.