Five Essential Things to Know About Your Kid’s iPad

Many of today’s kids are routinely glued to their iPads. With that, these delicate devices are prone to all manner of unfortunate mishaps. Used for hours on end, they’re particularly susceptible to battery, camera, touchscreen, and other failures. The same goes for the ever-present risk of drops, cracks, and liquid spills.

Apple’s standard manufacturer warranty covers some of these. However, there’s little or no help when it comes to a plethora of other possible eventualities. In fact, Apple’s limited from-new iPad warranty extends solely to manufacturing defects. This coverage offers no protection against cracked screens, for example, caused by accidental damage.

For this reason and more, it’s imperative that you understand all of the ins and outs. So, without further ado, here are five crucial things to know about the warranty on your kid’s iPad.

Any Apple warranty comes with a degree of customer support. In-store, online, or via the Apple Support app, help is on hand. Yet, this support is often overlooked, especially by busy parents.

While an iPad is under warranty, there’s always one or more forms of assistance available. Parents can use Apple Support to gain access to solutions for all of their children’s Apple products, including their iPads. These solutions range from automated assistance with resetting passwords to personalized troubleshooting delivered by an Apple Support team member.

The same support also grants access to Apple’s in-store Genius Bars. Alternatively, owners can tap into the so-called Apple Authorized Service Provider network for help in their local area. A great way to get started is to download the Apple Support app.

As great as Apple’s standard manufacturer warranty is, it only lasts for 12 months. If you bought your child a new iPad, you’re covered against manufacturing defects for one year from the date of purchase.

The good news is that, during this period, plenty of help is at your disposal. Of course, this is limited mainly to issues stemming from manufacturing defects. Still, it’s a valuable resource.

On which note, for the first 90 days, complimentary technical support is also included. This support provides parents with access to telephone assistance for setup, installation, and connectivity queries. For this first 90 days of product ownership, complimentary support is unlimited.

At the same time, after 90 days, Apple’s support reverts purely to what’s included under its standard manufacturer warranty. Extended AppleCare+ coverage is necessary to maintain access to technical support. More on that in a moment.

As a busy parent, it’s easy to lose track of time. Is your child’s iPad still under warranty? To work that out, you just need to know when you purchased it.

Sometimes, though, that’s easier said than done. This is especially true if an iPad was given as a gift by someone else, such as a grandparent or other relative. Thankfully, it’s easy to check.

To see if your kid’s iPad is still under warranty, head to Apple’s dedicated Check Coverage tool. Here, you can review any Apple product’s warranty status in a few clicks. Simply enter the serial number to get started.

But what if your kid’s iPad warranty is about to expire? If this is the case, don’t worry just yet – extended coverage is available. However, you’re only protected while an agreement is in place. If there’s a lapse in coverage and the worst happens, you’re out of luck.

It’s for this reason in particular that staying on top of warranty protection is vital. Among the most popular options is AppleCare+, available exclusively from Apple. AppleCare+ includes ongoing protection against all manner of manufacturing defects. Protection with AppleCare+ also features continued access to unlimited technical support.

Alternatively, it’s possible to lock in extended warranty protection from a third-party provider. Direct technical support from Apple might not be included on the face of it, but some companies have other options up their sleeves. For example, look for an extended warranty provider that still grants access to Apple’s in-store Genius Bars as and when needed.

By upgrading to AppleCare+, parents of children with iPads get access to one particularly significant benefit: accidental damage protection. This protection means that not only are battery, camera, touchscreen, and other failures covered, but so are drops, cracks, and liquid spills.

Unfortunately, parents may find that AppleCare+ is prohibitively expensive. Moreover, they limit accidental damage protection to two incidents every 12 months. When the worst happens, there’s also a $49 service fee to pay. Accordingly, many turn to independent extended tablet warranties that are both cheaper and less restrictive.

With Upsie, for example, parents can save up to 70% on the cost of an extended warranty for their child’s iPad. iPad warranty coverage with Upsie includes protection against manufacturing defects, screen cracks, drops, spills, and more. Upsie customers are also entitled to have their kids’ iPads repaired courtesy of Apple’s Genius Bar service.

Claims are unlimited, too, up to an iPad’s purchase value. Better still, Upsie also promises to replace your kid’s iPad at no extra charge on the first claim, if it’s not economical to repair. Furthermore, Upsie’s deductible is just $25 – approximately half of the AppleCare+ coverage at $49.

It’s also around 50% less than the fees applied by SquareTrade, Best Buy, Verizon, and others as part of their own extended warranty plans. A three-year warranty with accident protection for Apple’s $499 iPad mini costs just $106.99. Find out more at Upsie.com.