As for Feedback Assistant, much of it is automated and unless there are a substantial number of messages with the same issues, they are mostly ignored.
Sorry if this has been addressed in the past few days, but AppleCare+ also applies to Apple laptops and iMacs (and perhaps other products I haven’t checked at checkcoverage.apple.com). It’s not limited to “mobile devices.”
I stand corrected as it did not used to. However it is more expensive and only covers the version before the current one.
Agreed. I even have the same experience with Enterprise support which my MacPro 7.1 Desktop qualifies me for. Stephen Colbert expressed his opinion of the Apple Genius Bar a few nights ago with a graphic that replaced ‘Genius’ with something verging on obscene that I am surprise got past the censors. Think of replacing the ‘G’ with a ‘P’
As someone has replied before there is no need to purchase Apple Support for software issues as they don’t turn you away for that without Applecare, but it is really only useful for hardware issues such as an extended hardware warranty. AppleCare also does not cover 3rd party products purchased at the Apple Store or the physical stores even though they sell them. As for hardware, I invite those reading this to check with their homeowners or rental insurance provider for a technology or computer add-on. Add added it to my homeowner’s policy with a flat $100 deductible for a lot less than AppleCare. Also, if you use MasterCard or perhaps other cards other than AMEX as it is only 1 year, it will double the manufactures warranty up to 2 years. Since AppleCare is 3 years, if you do this you are paying the AppleCare price for 1 a 1 year extension.
This sounds typical of Cook’s version of Apple. Every now and then (maybe once or twice a year) I need some kind of help from them, and they have not refused me any support. Even knowing I was running a very old version of the OS… one that I am locked to because of the 5,1 and GTX 980. Always thought that was REALLY supporting their products. It’s a major downgrade to the company I have been computing with since May, 1984. Looks like “always support your customers/products” is now not a thing to praise them for.
Has anyone other than @jweil ever been told by Apple support on the phone or in person at an Apple Store that they would not help with a problem unless the device in question were running the current operating system?
Whenever I’ve had reason to work with Apple Support over the phone or in person, they have been polite and tried to help.
There is nothing new here, nor is there anything to get worked up about. If you have a problem, call Apple Support. AppleCare is a warranty on Apple hardware, and it’s not related to technical support.
On a couple of occasions I have had this happen. I either upgraded or found another way for help. I generally keep updated.
For the most part, I’ve gotten solutions. Sometimes not at the first level. First level knowledge and solution capability have degraded - but they escalate and I’ve gotten taken care of.
For major systems, I think Apple scores near the top.
David
It is true that with few exceptions they are polite. It may also be true that I am more likely to create more challenges for support as when I worked for Apple as a support engineer, and tester, starting in the 80’s for 13 years, I was not only trained to find and report bugs but was also given the nickname as ‘Bug Magnet’. I also have the background to find workarounds or fixes for most of what level 1 support is trained for and a good part of level 2 support and generally able to do all the troubleshooting steps that level one is trained for preemptively before calling thus only call for issues that Apple Support is not trained to handle in this age, or macOS or App bugs that they simply do not have the training or tools to properly handle. While I have never considered nor ever referred to myself as an expert but my history and training is generally at a level that is more advanced than support gets from the typical user. No matter how much I know there is always something I do not know and I am always open to learning about it thus expanding my knowledge.
It is also a senior agent that refuses to assist due to macOS version level as well, possibly for these same reasons as they simply are not able to handle the issue due to lack of knowledge, training or tools and do not want to admit that.
Under Steve Job’s leadership Apple Support used to have a group called Executive Customer Service that would act as ombudspersons to escalate issues to top level support agents or engineering for solutions. Since Tim Cook became CEO that path no longer seems to exist. as Senior Support is as now as high as a user can reach and they, in my experience, have refused to escalate it to a supervisor despite my historic attempts to reach one.
I am under the impression that under Tim Cook’s leadership that software is now released on a schedule barring major class 1 bugs rather than insuring that that most annoying or problematic bugs are fixed before release. Evidence of this is that there is almost always an update to a major release shortly after the initial release that often overloads support at the beginning rather than the schedule being driven by Apple Engineering and SQA having the time to do proper testing and certification before release. That said I have no proof of this.
The bottom line of all this is that I am of the opinion that unlike when Steve Jobs was CEO, Apple software releases are now driven primary by profit rather than quality and the customer experience. You may ask how can that be when such releases are free? Major releases generally contain some new features that marketing hope will attract more customers to purchase the hardware to get those features. Additionally many features need more storage thus more iCloud subscriptions. In my opinion Apples best and currently the most reliable product is its marketing.
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I’m closing this topic because it seems to be an excuse for general whining about Apple.
While Apple Support may keep notes about dealing with particular customers, I have never heard general issues with people receiving support. AppleCare is a hardware warranty, and anyone can call Apple Support for help with any Apple product—there’s no requirement that you buy AppleCare to get support. And if you don’t have AppleCare and your device is out of warranty, Apple is happy to help you with hardware problems for a fee, assuming it’s not on the Vintage or Obsolete list.
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