Insurer may jump in to cover iPhones
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(InfoWorld) - A company that insures laptops and smartphones may save the day for iPhone owners worried about their pricey handsets getting stolen or damaged. The just-introduced device costs $499 or $599, depending on storage, and has a slippery, rounded design with a glass touchscreen that covers most of its face. Yet AT&T, the exclusive mobile operator for the phone, won't sell insurance for it. And although Apple offers the AppleCare extended warranty for almost all its hardware products, the plan is not yet available for the iPhone. (Apple says it will start offering AppleCare for the phone some time this month.) Some participants on the cell phone site HowardForums said they were disappointed those types of coverage weren't available. Now, a third party is thinking about stepping in. A flood of potential customers have contacted Safeware about getting their iPhones insured, said Matt Wagner, executive vice president and general counsel of the Columbus, Ohio, company. Safeware has been in business insuring PCs since 1982 and started covering smartphones a few years ago, Wagner said. Before the iPhone went on sale in the United States last Friday, Apple's secrecy made it hard to evaluate, he said. "Now that it is released, we're kind of scrambling to find out if it's something we want to get into or not," Wagner said. Availability of parts and repair facilities are among the issues the insurer is examining. Safeware's portable electronics policy covers accidental damage, theft, vandalism, power surges, and natural disasters in the United States and Canada, according to the company's Web site. Coverage includes both the device and preinstalled software, and on a standard policy there is no deductible. Typical prices were not immediately available. AT&T prices its policies, provided by insurance company Asurion, at $4.99 per month. But the iPhone is so expensive that insurance for it would be too pricey for AT&T to market to consumers, the carrier said. For the same reason, AT&T won't sell insurance for Palm's Treo, Research in Motion's BlackBerry, and some other high-end handsets. Rival Verizon Wireless, by contrast, will insure any phone it sells. Also working through Asurion, it charges $4.99 per month with a $50 deductible. The iPhone does come with a one-year Apple warranty against "defects in materials and workmanship under normal use," according to Apple's Web site. AppleCare, when available, will extend that coverage for as long as two additional years. Apple hasn't said how much it will cost. Customers will have to sign up for AppleCare while the initial warranty is still in effect. To help customers stay connected while the iPhone is being fixed, Apple can provide an AppleCare Service Phone that can be sent from Apple or picked up at the Apple Store. But the loaner doesn't come free: There's a flat $29 "service fee," plus additional charges if the user doesn't return it on time after they get their own phone back. And as a warranty, AppleCare won't get you a new iPhone if yours is damaged by accident or stolen. Many people wouldn't need to take out a separate policy for an iPhone, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Most homeowner's or renter's policies would cover theft or damage to the phone, even if it were stolen from their car, said Mike Barry, a spokesman for the group. However, Safeware's Wagner said those policies typically don't cover a portable electronic device outside of the owner's home or car. Ironically, while AT&T won't insure the iPhone because it's too expensive, the Institute thinks the iPhone wouldn't be worth a separate policy because it isn't valuable enough. "It really wouldn't make much economic sense to have a policy taken out separately for the iPhone," he said.
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Let the patient beware. Going outside your insurerâs network of preferred doctors or hospitals could be more hazardous to your financial health than you suspected.
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Late yesterday afternoon, Apple Computer issued a single-paragraph statement reminding its iPhone users that their warranties would not be able to cover damages to their phones caused by the use of unlocking utilities. The company used a carrot and stick approach, reminding users that an iTunes Music Store update was on the way, but that attempting to install it on a cracked phone could render it useless.
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Many of those who bought the iPhone early may be eligible for an Apple Store credit, to help make up the difference in the $200 price drop.
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InfoWorld - Consumers aren&#39;t willing to pay what Apple&#160;may ask for the&#160;iPhone, but if the price drops they&#39;ll switch their mobile service to AT&amp;T in order to get it, according to results of a survey released Thursday.
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AT&T and Apple have been mum about the their iPhone-related financial arrangements, but an industry analyst looked at the data and has estimated AT&T's cost.
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InfoWorld - A company that insures laptops and smartphones may save the day for iPhone owners worried about their pricey handsets getting stolen or damaged.
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Blog: Getting that new iPhone up and running will require an account with the iTunes Store, perhaps to reinforce the notion that Apple's the primary source of legal digital content.
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New Yorkâs attorney general is looking into if insurers forced patients to overpay for out-of-network doctors.
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(InfoWorld) - Google and Intel have already expressed interest in the forthcoming 700MHz spectrum auction. Now, speculators say Apple may throw its hat into the ring. TheÂ auctionÂ is creating a bit of a frenzy because the winner will obtain some of the last available prime spectrum, ideal for delivering broadband wireless Internet access. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) expects to auction it off next year. While Google has said that it may bid in the auction, Apple's participation is pure speculation, and analysts appear split on whether it makes sense for theÂ iPhoneÂ maker to become a network operator. Apple's entry into the carrier business, while interesting to speculate, is difficult to imagine since the company already has a "sweetheart deal" with AT&T, said Michael Gartenberg, an analyst with Jupiter Research. In an unusual arrangement for the mobile industry, Apple is thought to receive a portion of the monthly service revenue that AT&T earns from iPhone customers. AT&T is the iPhone's exclusive carrier. Gartner analyst Van Baker finds it "highly unlikely" that Apple would be interested in buying the spectrum. "It's a very different business than they're in, and it's not something they have a whole lot of expertise in," he noted. Apple could decide to partner with another company that has more experience in the mobile operator business, which could make more sense, Baker said. Still, the arrangement between Apple and AT&T looks beneficial to both companies, so there probably isn't a significant incentive for Apple to want to change that setup, especially because the operator business comes with "lousy margins," he said. However, Apple might have at least one good reason for wanting to operate a network, said Avi Greengart, an analyst with Current Analysis. "They do like to control the end-to-end experience," he said. While becoming a mobile operator would be a "tremendous stretch" for Apple, it wouldn't surprise Greengart if Apple was considering it. An Apple network would likely be very tightly integrated with Apple products and come with very simple pricing, he said. Such a strategy could have a ripple effect across the industry. Operators tend to watch what competitors are doing and make adjustments to their own strategies accordingly, he said. Greengart and the others cautioned that they hadn't heard directly from the company or other sources that Apple was considering the auction. "But they're pretty good about being tight-lipped," Greengart said. Apple is known for being very secretive, with big announcements leaking out only days in advance, if ever. BusinessWeek first reported on the rumor that Apple might be interested in the spectrum auction.
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Apple made a big splash when it announced the iPhone last month. But with its hefty price tag, restriction to a single carrier and departure from many traditional smart-phone features, buying the iPhone requires careful forethought.
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Apple Inc.'s  iPhone may be  too expensive for most Americans, but the much-hyped device is  expected to help AT&T Inc.  win quality customers and  drive shoppers into its stores.
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While Apple and its iPhone were not officially present at the International Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas, one might say it was possible to feel the company's touch.
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Apple Inc.  said on Tuesday  its hotly anticipated iPhone could cost up to $3,000 with a  required two-year service contract, but that didn't stop a  handful of admirers from starting to wait to buy the device.
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Customers will need an iTunes Store account to activate the iPhone--separate from the wireless contract.
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Analyst firm suggests that Apple might add enterprise devices or applications to make phone more adaptable, secure.
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(InfoWorld) - For some cell phone fanatics, the iPhone is love at first sight: a cool touchscreen, a slim design, promising simplicity. The only thing standing between you and that dreamy device is your contract with another carrier. Is there a way to break the relationship without paying a penalty of $150 or more? Yes. First, in a few situations, you can dump or suspend a contract without enduring too much hassle: You can end a contract early without paying fees if the carrier makes changes that have a significant negative effect on your service or your subscription rate. For example, if your carrier raises its fees for text messaging, you can use that as your get-out-of-jail card. Still, you'll have to plead your case to the carrier -- it won't let you go that easily. You'll need to convince the company that the change applies to you and that it has seriously and negatively affected your service. Carriers will also suspend your wireless service during active-duty military deployment. That doesn't free you from your obligation entirely, but it's better than paying for something you can't use at all. In the most extreme situation, a contract is terminated if the customer dies -- though this circumstance does put a crimp in the deceased's future iPhone enjoyment. Trade it in Another way to lose your current contract is to transfer your account to someone else. How do you find that someone? Either on your own (through a network of friends or by posting an ad at a community site such as Craigslist.com) or via an online trade-in service such as Cellswapper.com and Celltradeusa.com. These sites provide a place for people to buy, sell, or trade their wireless contracts. "Consumers see the account transfer as a fair resolution," says Eric Wurtenberg, co-founder of Celltradeusa.com. "With our service, people can get a provider that works better in their area, and the carrier gets someone to fulfill the contract. Our core customer has always been and will continue to be the person who wakes up one morning and finds the service doesn't work in his apartment, or a college student who finds the phone doesn't work on campus." Good time for a deal? With the upcoming release of the Apple iPhone on AT&T, the number of people buying AT&T contracts on Celltradeusa.com has increased by about 33 percent in the past two months, said Wurtenberg. "We see equipment envy as increasing the demand for our service." Likewise, Adam Korbl, co-founder and CEO of Cellswapper.com, says that "thousands of potential Apple and AT&T customers have recently flocked to Cellswapper to get out of their contracts and be ready to sign with AT&T when the iPhone launches at the end of the month." If the iPhone is a little too expensive for your tastes but you still want to upgrade your phone, this might be a good time to pick up a used smartphone on the cheap. "We have seen that in order to get the iPhone, people are not only selling their used phones, but even willing to give them away as incentive for someone else to take over their contact," Korbl says. "Many people are offering great phones and big cash incentives just to break free of their contract in time for the iPhone." For example, in a recent search on Cellswapper, I found the Nokia 5300 XpressMusic offered for free (a brand-new version costs $150 at T-Mobile's site) for assuming a three-month contract on T-Mobile at $50 a month. Not bad. In addition to throwing in your old phone or offering a cash incentive to entice people, Wurtenberg advises you to gather up all your contract information and have it with you when you post your service plan on the site. "You need the original date of the contract," he says. Make sure your account balance is up to date, too. And provide detailed descriptions and pictures of your phone if you're including it in the sale. Finally, try to respond quickly to buyers' questions. "These things go a long way to finding someone to take over your account," Wurtenberg notes. If there's a match, the seller pays $20 at Celltrade or $15 at Cellswapper. Then the buyer and seller go through the process of formally transferring the account in the carrier's records. With most mobile operators, this can be done by phone or at the carrier's retail store. Typically, transferring your contract means losing your current phone number. On Verizon, for instance, the phone number carries over to the new customer because the number is tied to the previously existing contract, says Verizon spokesperson Brenda Raney. To port your current phone number to another carrier, you must be have an expired contract or you must pay a penalty to break it, according to Raney. Still, if you're determined to dump your contract, getting a new number is a fair trade-off. Before switching to a new carrier, evaluate your predicament, recommends Wurtenberg. "Do your homework by asking friends and neighbors how they like their wireless service." If you want to get rid of your old phone completely, recycle it. Sites such as Collective Good accept cell phone donations. Or trade in your old phone for a few bucks or for a gift certificate to a retail store. Web services such as CellforCash, GreenPhone, and ReCellularTradeIn will offer you cash or a gift card in return for your handset. For a cash trade, check a few sites to see whether their offers differ significantly. There are no set prices for used phones, so it's best to determine which site will make the best offer. For more information on donating cell phones, read "Dialed In: Cell Phone Recycling" and "Tips & Tweaks: Recycle PCs, Notebooks, and Components." Before relinquishing your old phone, remember to wipe your data off of it. For tips on how to proceed, read "Privacy Watch: Wipe Your Cell Phone's Memory Before Giving It Away."