Does Apple have really worldwide warranty?

[Sandman77]

Hi!

After I bought my iPhone in the eu before I come to Thailand I got information in the apple shop that Apple have worldwide warranty within one year !

The apple hotline in my country disagree this , and says the Europe and Asia market seperate, so no war renty, what information is correct now ?

[Holdfast72]

Yes, they do...

I purchased 2 iPads in Thailand for my kids in Australia. I had set them up whilst in Thailand and registered the warranty in Thailand.

1 of the iPads, 3 weeks old had line of pixels drop out down the centre of the screen.

Not only did Apple (Australia) recognise the unit as being under warranty, but arranged all the free shipping back to their service point.

An extra level of service I didn't expect, after the item went missing during transit, Apple Australia replaced it free of charge (with the newer model).

For now, I can't fault their service...

[bbradsby]

The answer is Definitely YES, you have a world-wide Apple warranty, assuming you didn't buy your hardware at MBK or Panthip's den of open stall knock-off thieves.

My Apple MacBook Pro, purchased at a small upcountry iStudio in Thailand recently had DVD drive warranty service in California - no questions asked, not even for a purchase receipt since the laptop was registered first time I went online with it. They were intrigued by the factory-installed Thai/Western keyboard as I'm sure they'd never seen one before.

[spode]

Yes and no.

According to Apple Hong Kong last month, the default worldwide global warranty still exists for all computer products, but no longer for iDevices (iPhones and iPads, specifically discussed).

I was purchasing a new iPad Mini. I was told very clearly that its warranty is only good in Hong Kong. I was specifically asked if I was buying this for use in Hong Kong, or for elsewhere or as a gift for someone elsewhere (I had previously bought some things for my Mother who lives in the U.S.).

As it is for me, I continued with the purchase. I specifically asked if this would be the case if I bought my Mother a new Aple laptop, and was told that the global warranty would be in place for that product.

So YES, the global warranty still exists for computers.

And NO, it does not exist for iPhones and iPads (at least those purchased in Hong Kong).

-Spode

[schietkop]

Spode is right the answer indeed is no, not for phones. Sometimes though, ive heard if they are in a good mood they might help you out, strictly legally speaking the answer is no unfortunately. http://www.apple.com/legal/warranty/products/iphone-english-uk.html Here in Thailand there are no Apple stores (owned by Apple themselves), they are all Coperwire stores (franchise) who have no real intrest in serving foreign phones, so chanses for service are small here.

[attrayant]

Spode is right the answer indeed is no, not for phones. Sometimes though, ive heard if they are in a good mood they might help you out, strictly legally speaking the answer is no unfortunately. http://www.apple.com/legal/warranty/products/iphone-english-uk.html Here in Thailand there are no Apple stores (owned by Apple themselves), they are all Coperwire stores (franchise) who have no real intrest in serving foreign phones, so chanses for service are small here.

My experience confirms this, which annoys me to no end as I was told by Apple henchmen in the USA that my iPhones would be covered all over the world. Now I find out that, to get that coverage, I have to mail my phone back to the Apple store in the USA at my expense. That's not my idea of world-wide coverage.

[brucegoniners]

Apple is so f'd up these days, one hand doesn't know what the other one is doing. Post Steve Jobs it is a different company altogether.

I can't tell you how many issues I've had with Apple and their support over the last few years. It's a wonder I even get their products anymore. Those days may be soon over.

[Hardy99]

NO THEY DO NOT !!!!! I had TWO cases... my daughters iPhone4 bought in Switzerland and because she now lives for a while in Thailand was refused to repair! They told me that the phone is like "belongs" to the Service Provider where you bought it.. we bought WITOUT SIMLOCK for FULLPRIZE, I had to bring it back to Zurich on my next trip home to get it repaired. That was in a official APPLE Store. What they offered me was to buy a new Exchange phone (cheaper then listprice) but why under warranty I should buy a new phone?

[JesseFrank]

Yes, they do...

I purchased 2 iPads in Thailand for my kids in Australia. I had set them up whilst in Thailand and registered the warranty in Thailand.

1 of the iPads, 3 weeks old had line of pixels drop out down the centre of the screen.

Not only did Apple (Australia) recognise the unit as being under warranty, but arranged all the free shipping back to their service point.

An extra level of service I didn't expect, after the item went missing during transit, Apple Australia replaced it free of charge (with the newer model).

For now, I can't fault their service...

Now the question is, would it have been the same if it was the other way around, but it seems Hardy has answered that already below. Always keep in mind, Thailand is not part of the rest of the world.

NO THEY DO NOT !!!!! I had TWO cases... my daughters iPhone4 bought in Switzerland and because she now lives for a while in Thailand was refused to repair! They told me that the phone is like "belongs" to the Service Provider where you bought it.. we bought WITOUT SIMLOCK for FULLPRIZE, I had to bring it back to Zurich on my next trip home to get it repaired. That was in a official APPLE Store. What they offered me was to buy a new Exchange phone (cheaper then listprice) but why under warranty I should buy a new phone?

[bobbyd1]

Yes, I used my warranty (Apple Care) to replace my power supply in my iMac (Chiang Mai). But, you have to use authorized Apple repair shop. The replacement part and labor were covered under warranty, with no cost to me. Replacement parts usually come from Singapore and the technicians are very knowledgeable. I bought the warranty plan in USA and it was honored here in Thailand. Once your computer serial number is plugged into the Mac network, the coverage will show on the screen. "Once you go MAC, you never go Back"

[Nowisee]

Apple is so f'd up these days, one hand doesn't know what the other one is doing. Post Steve Jobs it is a different company altogether.

I can't tell you how many issues I've had with Apple and their support over the last few years. It's a wonder I even get their products anymore. Those days may be soon over.

Like the saying goes, "if you're struggling with something, you're doing something wrong"

I have NEVER had an issue with Apple support.

Recently bought my MBP and APE from Singapore and had them shipped here and will call/send back to Singapore for any warranty work if CM shop wants to give me hard time.

[up-country_sinclair]

There seems to be some conflicting information on this thread.

Can anyone confirm If I buy an ipad here in Thailand, will the warranty valid in Europe? Or will I have to mail it back to Thailand to be serviced?

Thanks!

[borislavbaros]

As far as I know there is no "international warranty" of any sort on the iPhone. Apart from warrenty we see many people are interested in buying Apple products,even if they do not have any warrenty also..

buy gaming keyboards

[samuijimmy]

Yes, I used my warranty (Apple Care) to replace my power supply in my iMac (Chiang Mai). But, you have to use authorized Apple repair shop. The replacement part and labor were covered under warranty, with no cost to me. Replacement parts usually come from Singapore and the technicians are very knowledgeable. I bought the warranty plan in USA and it was honored here in Thailand. Once your computer serial number is plugged into the Mac network, the coverage will show on the screen. "Once you go MAC, you never go Back"

Yes, one needs to phone Apple support, Check apple webisite for the number... You'll probably talk to someone in the Philippines, and get a repair order and take to specific repair centres...they will tell you where they are. BKK has three, Chaing Mai, probably has one or two as well...(?)

Ibeats, BananaIt etc ....will not be interested.

[alllyn]

Does anyone know where I can get someone to teach a tie friend how do use Mac numbers software in Chiang Mai?

[hhgz]

"Can anyone confirm If I buy an ipad here in Thailand, will the warranty valid in Europe? Or will I have to mail it back to Thailand to be serviced?"

Apple has the right to service an iDevice only in the original country of purchase - the EU is an exception. The Apple warranty for computers is international.

[Banzai99]

I purchased an iPad in Thailand and exchanged it in the Apple Store in Tokyo, no problem.

Phones are different apparently.

[Searat7]

I purchased a 4S iPhone new from Apple Thailand (via internet) and the wireless failed while I was in California a year later. I visited a local Apple store and they initially said no because I was a few days out of warranty but I talked to the manager and eventually received a replacement phone. I was surprised they had unlocked phones on hand.

[hermespan]

I purchased an iphone5 in Vancouver. Also Apple Care + (extended warranty). As I recall they told me that the terms of that warranty will be honoured at any official Apple store (e.g. Hongcouver, Hong Kong etc). But I have not tested this.

[Sandman77]

Apple Europe says no warrenty in Asia..

[TerraplaneGuy]

I purchased an iphone5 in Vancouver. Also Apple Care + (extended warranty). As I recall they told me that the terms of that warranty will be honoured at any official Apple store (e.g. Hongcouver, Hong Kong etc). But I have not tested this.

The Apple warranty for Canada is on its website and, like the UK version linked by Schietkop above, it says:

"IMPORTANT RESTRICTION FOR iPHONE AND iPAD SERVICE. Apple may restrict warranty service for iPhone and iPad to the country where Apple or its Authorized Distributors originally sold the device. "

That is in the basic warranty. Then there is optional AppleCare+ extended warranty but it too has the above restriction. See https://www.apple.com/legal/sales-support/applecare/applecareplusnaen.html

I think this makes it clear that for iphone and ipad there is no obligation on Apple to service outside the original country of sale. And it clearly distinguishes ipads and iphones from other products like notebooks. Even if there are cases where an Apple dealer in Thailand is willing to honour the warranty on a foreign-bought unit, they don't have to because the "may restrict" language gives them an out.

You cannot rely on what the Apple Store staff tell you when you buy the unit, you have to read the fine print. Recently I've been shopping for an iphone in Canada at the Apple stores and I have found that some of the staff will tell you completely false things in a tone of great confidence. So you have to carefully research the facts online. This goes for the specs of the unit (for example, I was told emphatically that every iphone 5S in the world has the same specs and then found online that there are in fact half a dozen different models of iphone 5s, designed for different networks and countries, and all have different specs). The same goes for the warranties. Unfortunately many of the Apple staff are simply not well trained or informed.

TG