Skip to main content

Scared of breaking your phone? Samsung offers an extended warranty program — for a price

Samsung Galaxy Note 4
No matter how well we take care of our smartphones, accidents still happen. While your brand new smartphone may come with a warranty, reading the fine print reveals that accidental damage is not covered. Even though there are multiple phone insurance services out there, including ones from your carrier, Samsung brought a new option to the table with its Protection Plus Mobile Elite extended warranty program.

The program covers all kinds of accidental damage, which can include drops, spills, and cracked screens. It also covers any electrical and mechanical failures, as well as other issues that might crop up. Samsung guarantees that if you break your device, it will be replaced in two business days or less. You can even file up to three claims over the two-year period.

Samsung Protection

However, the price of the extended warranty program could make people pause — it isn’t exactly cheap. For Galaxy S users, the program costs $100, while Galaxy Note users will have to cough up $130. In addition, you’ll need to pay a service fee of $75 or $95, respectively.

Recommended Videos

Currently, the extended warranty program is only available for the Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S5, and Galaxy S4. If you decide to pay for the program, you’ll have to wait 15 days for the warranty to go into effect. Make sure you don’t break your phone before then.

Williams Pelegrin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…
How to turn off 5G on a Samsung phone
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

It doesn't feel like a long time since Samsung introduced its first 5G phone, the Galaxy S10 5G. Flash forward to today, and you'll find 5G connectivity across many Samsung phones, from the top-end Galaxy S21 range to foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 3, right down to the less-expensive A71 5G and A51 5G models.

Although 5G networks are expanding, there are still plenty of places where it isn't yet as robust as 4G -- so those accelerated connection speeds can be spotty, for now. Connectivity depends not only on your 5G carrier, but your location too -- Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T all offer 5G network coverage in the U.S., but it's still best around major cities and metro areas. Still, choosing a phone that supports the next-generation network is a sure-fire way to future-proof your new device.

Read more
Samsung Galaxy Buds+ down to their LOWEST-EVER PRICE today
Galaxy Buds+ in white

You shouldn't miss the chance to buy new devices and upgrade your old ones through the best Black Friday deals that retailers will offer. Walmart Black Friday deals are a good source of discounts, especially with the retailer rolling out its first Black Friday Deals for Days event this year. If you're planning to take advantage of Black Friday headphone deals, then you won't want to miss this $71 discount on the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ that brings the wireless earbuds down to their lowest-ever price of $79 from their original price of $150.

As an alternative option to Apple's AirPods, the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ are a serious competitor, featuring an easy setup process and a battery that can last up to 11 hours in a single charge. There's another 11 hours available from the charging case, and just three minutes of charging will provide one hour of usage so the wireless earbuds will never be out of commission for long.

Read more
iPhone 13 and Z Flip 3 keep Apple and Samsung sales strong in U.S. and Europe
Galaxy Z Flip 3 closed with Cover Screen active.

The smartphone markets in the U.S. and Europe are still suffering from a chip shortage, according to a report from Counterpoint Research, with overall sales being slightly lower in Europe and slightly higher in the U.S. than they were last year. In Europe, Samsung, Xiaomi, and Apple led the European smartphone market in Q3 (July, August, and September). Even though Samsung saw a decline from the immediately preceding quarter, the newly launched Galaxy Z Flip 3 helped its fortunes. The U.S. market remains dominated by Apple and Samsung, with Motorola continuing slow and steady growth.

Zooming out to look at the bigger picture, aside from Apple, the usual suspects who make the best Android phones (Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo) lead the pack in the European market. This was likely with phones like the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and OnePlus 9, along with lower-priced A-Series models, while there are some surprise entrants from the likes of Vivo and Realme. Huawei continues to decline, with the lack of Google services and the limited launch of the P50 continuing to take their toll, while former sub-brand Honor is on the rise. The company just launched the Honor 50 and Honor 50 Pro as its first phones with Google services in years, and it'll be interesting to see how these affect future sales.

Read more