From innovative hardware to boutique stores, Apple is famous for creating personalized customer experiences. In fact, Apple has even given us a unique option to make sure our devices are truly one of a kind through custom engraving.
When buying some devices on the official Apple online store, Apple gives you the option to engrave your device at checkout for free. But, should you take this option?
How Does Apple Engraving Work?
Apple devices are engraved using high-powered laser engravers in the manufacturing facilities, which is why this option is only available for the online Apple store. Here are all the devices that Apple currently offers free engraving for:
- Apple Pencil (2nd generation)
- iPad (all models)
- iPod touch
- AirPods
If you wonder why iPhones and MacBooks are not on this list, there are two possible reasons: device material and demand.
Some Apple devices are made from glass, such as the iPhone 12, which is harder to engrave than plastic or metal. Similarly, other devices are likely to have far lower engraving demand, like the iMac, or may simply be too inconvenient to efficiently engrave on a large scale.
What Can You Engrave on Your Apple Device?
Apple lets you engrave a combination of numbers, letters, or symbols. For AirPods lovers, Apple even allows users to engrave cases with emojis.
There are 30 emojis available for engraving. These include a fist bump, robot, alien, unicorn, all the zodiac animals, and even the poop emoji. In comparison to regular characters, emojis are engraved in a larger font.
The number of characters you can engrave varies for each Apple device. For iPads, Apple lets users add up to 34 characters per line. The second-generation Apple Pencils can only be engraved with up to 15 characters.
With these options, it’s no wonder that so many people have decided to engrave their Apple devices. But, why exactly do they do it?
The Pros of Engraving Your Apple Device
There is a reason why Apple continues to offer engraving options for free. Here are some of the biggest pros to engraving your Apple devices.
Personalization
In an age of mass production, personalization is a way for you to be a little more unique. With thousands of iPads on the market, many Apple lovers enjoy standing out from their peers.
Whether it’s writing a nickname or a funny quote, showing a little personality with an engraving is a great way to differentiate yourself.
Gifting
Sometimes, you need to remind people why they should thankful to have you around. Gifting an engraved Apple device is one way to make sure that they always remember you.
For many generous gift givers, remarkable moments can only be made better with a customized engraving.
Avoid Mixing Up Devices
When it comes to Apple-loving households or offices, mix-ups for small things like AirPods or Apple Pencils happen a lot. In fact, if you haven’t customized your cases, there’s a chance that you may not be able to tell which device is yours.
For this reason, some people grab the opportunity to engrave their device so that no one accidentally takes it home.
Protect Devices From Theft
For more practical reasons, many people also engrave contact details on their devices. Due to its perceived lower resale value, engraving also lessens the likelihood of your device being stolen and re-sold.
Additionally, engraving also helps good samaritans know how to return it to you.
The Cons of Engraving Your Apple Device
While there are some advantages to engraving Apple devices, here are the common reasons why some other people don’t bother engraving their devices.
Slower Delivery Time
Bear in mind that making use of the Apple engraving option will increase the lead time of your device delivery for at least an extra one to three days. During particularly high-demand seasons, the additional processing time for engraved devices can go up to weeks at a time.
Case Blocking
While Apple products are known to be durable, many cannot survive an intense fall. For this reason, many people regularly invest in cases for their Apple devices. With cases blocking the original body, some people don’t see the point of waiting a few extra days for an engraving that will likely stay hidden.
Lower Resale Value
With Apple devices sometimes lasting a lot longer than we expect, many people look to trading in or re-selling their devices before they upgrade. While Apple accepts engraved devices for its Apple Trade-In, you are much more likely to get a better deal selling a second-hand Apple device directly.
Unfortunately, engraved devices are often harder to sell, especially if they have your name.
Is Apple Engraving Permanent?
If you’re wondering whether there’s a way to get rid of your ex’s name on your Apple device, you can always ask Apple to replace the engraved parts for an out-of-warranty fee. It is also worth noting that Apple discontinued engraving for replacement iPods in 2020.
However, there may be a limit as to when Apple will still issue free engraving with your replacement device.
Should buyer’s remorse set it in early, Apple lets you return engraved products back up to 14 days after purchase for qualified products. On the other hand, if you use the Apple Trade-In to upgrade your device every few years, engraving should not cause any concerns for eligibility.
However, Apple may choose to offer less money for trading in engraved devices in the future.
To Engrave or Not to Engrave?
For many Apple lovers, holding on to an Apple device up to its full life span is the goal. If engraving helps remind you that your device deserves to be taken care of until its dying breath, there’s no reason why you should pass it up.
However, for those who love the thrill of a sleek new product every few years, engraving probably isn’t for you. Instead of engraving, you may opt to put removable stickers or customize a silicon case that goes over your device instead. It’s a little less permanent and will probably cause a lot less stress in the future.