Apple Continues to Provide Top-Rated Tech Support on Strength of Genius Bar

Apple had the highest overall customer satisfaction for tech support among more than 3,200 computer owners surveyed by Consumer Reports, unsurprising given the company has been top-rated for tech support since the not-for-profit organization first surveyed customers about the topic in 2007. Apple has also routinely topped multiple J.D. Power and Associates studies for customer satisfaction over the past decade.

apple_store_genius_bar_official
Apple earned high marks for the Genius Bar located at the back of most Apple retail stores, where customers can book an appointment to receive face-to-face technical support and troubleshooting for iPhone, iPad, Mac and several other Apple products and services. Consumer Reports praises the Genius Bar's free lifetime support as a differentiating factor over similar services, which generally require paying for help.

Windows-based PC makers did not receive the same accolades for tech support among survey participants:

"The help desks at Windows PC companies often didn’t live up to that name. For four of the six PC brands in the survey, tech support solved only half of the problems consumers brought to them. Even the best of them—Lenovo and Dell—came through just 61 percent of the time."

Consumer Reports found that most Windows-based PC users were most satisfied by phoning tech support rather than seeking online help through web, chat or email support. Best Buy's Geek Squad and Staples' EasyTech services were found to be a step behind the Genius Bar, given that Apple serves as both the retailer and manufacturer and is subsequently more knowledgable about its own products and support information.

Apple provides 90 days of complimentary phone and online chat support that can be extended for up to two years with an AppleCare+ Protection Plan for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV and other products. AppleCare+ also protects against up to two incidents of accidental damage with an applicable service charge, such as a cracked screen from dropping the device or water damage.

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
top stories 2025 04 19

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, CarPlay Bug Fix, and More

Saturday April 19, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues. We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iPhone 17 ...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...

Top Rated Comments

0815 Avatar
129 months ago
no surprises here - in the rare cases I had go go the the genius bar, they never met my expectations, they always went way above my expectation.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
129 months ago
no surprises here - in the rare cases I had go go the the genius bar, they never met my expectations, they always went way above my expectation.
So they must have met your expectations at some point on their way up, right? :p

Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
0815 Avatar
129 months ago
I once brought my computer (27 iMac) in for a small repair - I didn't pack it well enough and the screen in one corner cracked and had a big spider web (it was hitting some hard part in my car - 100% my fault for being in a rush and stupid .... anyway they repaired that free of charge. I didn't even had to ask for this. Also, the machine was out of warranty, but I still didn't pay anything for the repairs.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
adamw Avatar
129 months ago
Great to see the Apple Support Genius Bar team being recognized for their outstanding customer support.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rdlink Avatar
129 months ago
yeah, i lost a whole computer to a simple last-two-sits-of-a-bottle-of-beer a couple years ago. whole thing wasted, and i'm sorry, but i'm not about to sink another $1500 into replacing the insides over a 1-2 week period where i have to RENT a replacement as well. logical or not, when i get it back, i'm not gonna trust the thing for my heavy workflow on strict deadline when my rent depends on it.

i really expect some sort of water resistant seal that still allows heat dissipation on ALL laptops keyboards, soon i hope. it's just such an incredible achilles heel, i refuse to accept my $3k investments are in theory 2 seconds away from a liquid fatality.

plus, i'm pretty sure i couldv'e saved the thing if apple used normal goddam screws on the back. sometimes, your special 'apple screwdriver' is nowhere to be found. #fact
And I am not willing to accept not being able to have my toaster sitting on the edge of the bathtub while I'm in my bubble bath. :roll eyes:


Get real. You put liquids around electronics you accept the risks. Period.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
unplugme71 Avatar
129 months ago
yeah, i lost a whole computer to a simple last-two-sits-of-a-bottle-of-beer a couple years ago. whole thing wasted, and i'm sorry, but i'm not about to sink another $1500 into replacing the insides over a 1-2 week period where i have to RENT a replacement as well. logical or not, when i get it back, i'm not gonna trust the thing for my heavy workflow on strict deadline when my rent depends on it.

i really expect some sort of water resistant seal that still allows heat dissipation on ALL laptops keyboards, soon i hope. it's just such an incredible achilles heel, i refuse to accept my $3k investments are in theory 2 seconds away from a liquid fatality.

plus, i'm pretty sure i couldv'e saved the thing if apple used normal goddam screws on the back. sometimes, your special 'apple screwdriver' is nowhere to be found. #fact

I don't feel bad for you.

There are two solutions to your problem.

1) Don't drink/eat next to your computer
2) Place your MacBook (*) on a riser

http://store.apple.com/us/product/TN740ZM/A/rain-design-mstand-for-macbookmacbook-pro?afid=p238%7CSEu6kxuF-dc_mtid_1870765e38482_pcrid_52243346050_&cid=aos-US-kwg-pla-btb
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)