[mbjdesign]

I came here to say this. Whether you take out AppleCare or just take repair costs on the chin: Apple is probably walking away with a decent chunk of cash because the cost of repairs are so high relative to the cost to them - even in the case where a "repair" is actually a replacement.

As most repairs (screens for example) are capped within the AppleCare period and carry an excess I think the only situation where Apple doesn't make a profit is when breakages and faults are solely their fault and a result of poor engineering. As we all know, they are terrible at admitting fault in these instances because what it could cost them is mind-boggling.

The other point I took from this post is how increasingly fragile these devices are. Aside from a pre-unibody 17" MacBook Pro that regularly fried it's components, all my iDevices have been pretty reliable and sturdy. That said my iPhone 7 Plus suffered a smashed screen from far less abuse than my 4S did. Equally my wife's new 12 Mini seems even more prone to damage than the 7 Plus.

If I was repairing or replacing devices as much as he seems to be (particularly headphones) then I'd be reconsidering my purchasing preferences. You wouldn't buy a car where where misfires and free replacements are expected (as with most AirPods and crackling issues) - you would find an alternative.

[_fat_santa]

For me personally the crackling issue is "acceptable" when weighed against the value I get from my AirPods (Pro).

Out of all of my Apple devices, my Airpods are probably the "most essential" behind my Mac and iPhone. Working from home all day and taking calls, being able to handoff between my iPhone and Mac is a true game-changer.

Both my Airpods fell victim to the crackling issue and had them both replaced. I did consider another brand for a moment but I ended up sticking with the Airpods because of all the other benefits.

It's hard to leave Apple products, I'm sure their are better ones out there for every category, just the way they make everything work so well together, it provides so much relative benefit that the drawbacks are acceptable.