It’s probably far too early to discuss this, but I was wondering if there is a roadmap item for some equivalent of Applecare or next-business day part replacement in the two years.
Because of the ease of repairs, I’m not sure if enterprises would bother buying a standard next-day repair option as it’s much cheaper just to keep their own stock of parts for a fleet of laptops, but it could be worth it for individuals.
Personally, I usually keep a spare of whatever used laptop I’m upgrading to. I have two x200s, two working x230’s, etc. but it would be a bit extreme to buy two whole laptops at $1000. However, I could easily justify next-business day fixes.
For new laptops, I’ve paid probably an average of $200 for extended warranties. The current pricing range is:
Lenovo is $115-$150 for a 3-year next day onsite.
Apple’s is $100-$450 (depending on item) for 3-year warranty.
Again, probably completely out of current scope, but thought I’d ask.
I highly doubt that this will be possible. And even needed… Those warranty extensions are an upselling scam, from my point of view. You get an easily repairable device here and the part is probably cheaper than the extended warranty for Apple/co. It makes sense, maybe, if due to artificial roadblocks in repairability, you expect a 700$ repair fee. But that is just my perspective on this topic.
@siedentm it does suggest that having the option for next day rush delivery of replacement parts would be a good idea for something to offer though, once they get the parts actually in stock that is. Hopefully not something people need often, but if you’re in a pinch being able to pick up a new keyboard, screen, motherboard or whatever in a day or two would probably be really useful.
@Kyle_Murphy yes that would be great, but you need logistics infrastructure to be able to provide that. Multiple warehouses closer to the consumers, Delivery services and 24/7 service. I dare say, the company is not at a size where this is an option. They could do express DHL dlivery though.
@siedentm Yeah, I meant more that having an option to put your order into a rush queue for priority processing, and a next day air shipping option (both priced accordingly of course) would be good. I’m not suggesting like a guaranteed next day delivery, or on-site support or anything, just that they let the customer purchase the fastest shipping available and some mechanism to get rushed processing during normal business hours.
I’ve inquired about this possibility as well, just for ease of mind. I did get team member response and they stated that they had no plans to provide an extended warranty. Considering the ability to upgrade damaged or non-working parking, it doesn’t bother me too much, I’m more so concerned about if a part stops working right after the limited warranty has expired,. This was an issue I faced with PCs in the past. I’m currently a Mac user and have been for 10+ years. I can see why Apple offers extended warranties, due to most of their computers being glued and soldered together. However, the Mac Pro, which is nearly completely user upgradedable like the Framework, does have access to an extended warranty, so the idea isn’t far-fetched. As a new company that needs to secure a foundation, if it does happen, it probably won’t be an option for a while though.
After reading through some of the responses, I’ve realized I need to update my mental model. If a part fails out of warranty and there is expedited shipping, that would be a great opportunity to upgrade.
There is still something comforting about the “insurance” model of extended warranty though.
I also wouldn’t be surprised if the good folks at iFixit wouldn’t start stocking the parts for repair professionals (once Framework’s stock/marketplace is established), to allow shops to offer repair services alongside Apple and other device repair.
The beauty of the device is that most people can fix it themselves, but there is something to be said for handing it off to a professional if you aren’t sure where to start or what exactly the trouble is, and if they have spare parts in stock it is much easier to swap out a few parts for testing than ship the whole thing somewhere.
I hate to necro an old thread, but I’d also like to express my support for this and figured it was better than starting a new one.
Some employers (mine included) let you buy your own laptop for work but require you to have some kind of warranty with it. As a result, a lack of 3-year warranty option would be a non-starter for this as a work machine.
If I’m buying my own things, I don’t let anyone tell me what I can / can’t buy.
Ok you aren’t wrong and maybe my use case is kind of specific to my employer but I thought I’d put it out there since they probably aren’t the only ones. We can pick any laptop we want and they’ll pay for it, but you have to buy a 3 year warranty with it.
My employer is essentially the exact same. “Here’s a budget, here’s a required minimum spec, it must have a 3yr warranty, otherwise let us know where to place the PO.” It was a shame to have a framework refused due to the warranty clause.
I just ordered my first Framework laptop. But I almost didn’t because I’ve used the three year warranty from both Dell and Lenovo in the past. I would love this option from Framework.
