Apple Experts Say You Should Never Waste Your Money On These Products

AppleCare

AppleCare is Apple's extended warranty program, and it is not worth the money, according to Apple and Tech Expert Ilam Padmanabhan.

“For one thing, Apple products are generally very reliable and don't break down often,” Padmanabhan said. “And if something does go wrong, it is usually covered by the standard one-year warranty. Additionally, AppleCare is very expensive – it can cost almost as much as the product itself. Finally, many credit cards offer extended warranty coverage for free, so there is no need to pay for it separately.”

Refurbished Products

Padmanabhan believes refurbished products are another waste of money when it comes to Apple products. “These are products that have been returned by customers and then fixed by Apple,” Padmanabhan said. “While they may be cheaper than buying a new product, they are not necessarily a good deal. First of all, you don't know what kind of problem the product had in the first place.”

Additionally, Padmanabhan added, refurbished products may not come with all of the accessories or features that a new product would have. “And finally, the warranty on a refurbished product is often shorter than the warranty on a new product,” Padmanabhan said. “Buying a new (but a slightly older model) is often a better option.”

Beats Headphones 

There will always be debates over which headphones are worth the money and which are not. When it comes to Beats Headphones, many tech experts (as well as Reddit users) say they are a decent entry-level pair of headphones, but that they haven’t been able to “shake the stigma” of their earlier models, which many say didn’t have the best audio quality. According to headphone experts, this would be fine if the headphones cost $50, but many feel they are overpriced for what they give back in terms of sound. 

Third-Party Accessories

“There are plenty of third-party accessories available for Apple products, but you shouldn't waste your money on them,” Padmanabhan said. “First of all, Apple products are designed to work best with first-party accessories. Additionally, third-party accessories are often lower quality and may not last as long as first-party accessories. Finally, third-party accessories may void your warranty if something goes wrong with them.”

Cell Phone Lens Attachments 

Remember when cell phone lens attachments were all the rage? They allowed you to get really creative with your photo-taking, while helping your phone replace a separate professional camera. But these accessories have mostly outgrown their use, as Apple has put so much of its focus into improving the iPhone camera. Additionally, there are a number of photo editing apps out there that turn so-so photos into exquisite ones after they’ve been snapped.