Samsung is offering up protection plans for its bright and shiny new flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. Handset owners will want to consider the options. Repairing today's glitzy feature-rich phones – bought untethered from a carrier plan – can run into the cost of an HD flatscreen.
The Protection Plan for the Galaxy S6 – which also covers the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S5 – costs $99 and the plan for the Galaxy S6 Edge – which also covers the Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge – costs $129.
The protection plans, as outlined by Samsung, are basically two-year warranty extension offerings. Right now, everyone's Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge are covered under a one-year warranty and since they just arrived, everyone's got about a year on that plan.
But once that year is up, and if there is no other warranty or insurance plan in place, device owners can face some hefty costs on everything from replacing a shattered screen to replacing the device entirely due to some unfortunate incident.
Both protection plans offer the same exact protection: two-year warranty coverage from the date of device purchase, which covers accidental damage such as cracked displays or liquid and mechanical damage. Samsung Protection Plus Mobile Elite extends coverage to two years from the original purchase date of the device, adding up to three incidents of accidental damage coverage, each of which is subject to a $95 service fee.
The protection covers accidental damage form handling (drops, spills, cracked screens — though screen replacement has a $95 deductible); coverage for electrical and mechanical failure (again, the $95 deductible applies) and 24-hour support every day except Christmas. Plan subscribers are allowed up to three claims during the coverage period.
Under the FAQ for the plan are some caveats owners should be aware of. The first is that a service fee will be collected at the point-of-service authorization — $75 for Samsung Galaxy devices and $95 for Samusung Note devices. Those eligible for the plan must have purchased the device within the past 30 days. Essentially, if you end up waiting a month after buying a Galaxy S6 or Galaxy S6 Edge — you can't get the protection plan. There is also a 15-day no coverage aspect, meaning you have to wait 15 days after plan purchase to make a claim.
The plan does not cover replacement of the battery, the back cover or the battery charger. Samsung charges $45 to replace a damaged battery for the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge after the expiration of the one-year warranty that comes with the purchase of either device.
Battery replacement cost doesn't include the cost of shipping the device to a Samsung repair center or the return shipping. Replacing a damaged battery in the Galaxy S5 runs $30. (By contrast, Apple iPhone owners pay $80 for a new battery.) A screen replacement will run $199 for both Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge.
The protection plan news comes just one day of Samsung announced that it's working on an Android 5.1 Lollipop update for the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, which arrived on April 10.
