**TL;DR**: You can get a broken Japanese iPhone replaced entirely with AppleCare+ coverage while in the US, but it’ll be a Canadian model (iPhone 14 models or higher, not sure about previous models). You can’t reactivate or move an existing ahamo eSIM while overseas, so be careful. Apple can work with you and extend the deadline of the return of a broken device if you can’t do it within the given time frame.
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If this isn’t particularly JapanLife related, I apologize in advance. I haven’t seen any online posts that shared a similar experience to what I had in regards to having a Japan-bought iPhone serviced overseas, and I figured that if anyone had any questions in regards to how it works overseas and things to be careful of, there would be a record of that online somewhere.
I have (or originally had) a Japan model iPhone 14 Pro with AppleCare+ on it and was using it with an eSIM that is from ahamo. I traveled to the US for the holidays to visit family, and everything was nice in that my cell phone plan from ahamo let’s me roam for free using my existing 20GBs on my plan for two weeks while I was in Mexico and the US. I’m sure this has been stated before somewhere on the Internet, but yes, the shutter sound, which can’t be muted on Japanese phones even while on silent mode, does disappear as soon as the phone is connected and roaming on a cellular network outside of Japan.
While back home, I accidentally shattered the back glass of my phone, and since I was covered by AppleCare+, I figured that I can try using it to get it replaced by paying a $99 fee and using the Express Replacement Service (ERS) method as I wasn’t near an Apple Store location. I researched online previously, and a lot of posts claimed that Apple wouldn’t do whole unit replacements if your iPhone was purchased in a different country even with AppleCare+, but in my case, the ERS order went through just fine. Through the Apple Support app (you can do it over a phone call too, but it’s way faster on the app), I was able to get a replacement ordered to be delivered to my parents’ house and upon receiving it, I would have to ship the broken one through FedEx to their repair center. As I was in the US, I, for some reason, thought that I would be getting the US model (that has no SIM card slot, only eSIM support) as a replacement. However, I was surprised to see that the replacement had a SIM card slot upon unboxing and after checking, I had received a Canadian model instead. This makes sense as Japan and Canada models are both Model A2893, and I assume that Apple only does replacements that are 1:1 the same model as the original, so this is probably why I was able to get it replaced due to Canada being next door. If it had been a dual SIM Chinese one, I doubt it would get serviced as I’m not sure if repair centers in the US even carry the China model for whole unit replacements.
I started the process of transferring my content onto the new phone, but hit a snag when trying to transfer my ahamo eSIM to the new phone. I tried doing the quick transfer method from iPhone to iPhone, but the activation wasn’t working at all. I then tried reissuing a new eSIM from the docomo online shop, but I never got, either through SMS or email, the required Activation Code that is used after scanning a QR code to start the service. This effectively put my account into a “Waiting for Activation” phase/limbo. Meanwhile, my shattered iPhone still had service on it and could use data just fine. I contacted ahamo/docomo through their online chat and explained my situation, and they said I couldn’t activate an eSIM while I was overseas, so there was that. (Apparently, if you haven’t activated the new eSIM on a new device, you can cancel the order online if it’s within 8 days by filling out a form. Any time after that, you have to visit a docomo store. I didn’t try to cancel it until after the the 8th day.)
When you order a replacement through ERS, Apple puts a hold on your credit card for the original price of the iPhone (around $1,450 in my case) and you have 10 days to return the broken phone otherwise the charge goes through. I was going to be home way past the time limit and I didn’t want to return the broken phone that had my only way to be connected during my stay, so I asked Apple what my options were in regards to the situation. I called their support number, and asked if I could just return the new device and keep the broken one until I went back home to Japan to restart the process, however, Apple said this wasn’t possible as my AppleCare+ plan had already been transferred to the replacement device and couldn’t be moved back again. They then offered to extend the due date of the return of the broken device by three weeks to prevent being charged the whole amount of the replacement phone, which I can then take both the broken and new device to Japan, get my eSIM card situation fixed, and then ship it from there. I accepted that offer, however, I had to ship the broken phone to the repair center back in the US, and not to the one in Japan, as that was location where service was originally handled.
Originally, I was gonna bring both devices with me to Japan, transfer service, and ship out the broken one from a FedEx office here in Japan, however, with the prepaid label that was provided, it already had my US address as the returnee and it said FedEx Ground as well. Clearly, it wasn’t going to be FedEx Ground, Japan can get technical about things that aren’t by the book, and I’m sure they haven’t dealt with something like this before. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to ship it with the provided prepaid label or if I would have to actual pay international shipping with my own money to send it back. Considering all this, I figured it would be best to leave the formatted broken phone behind in the US and have my sibling ship it on my behalf and be without my ahamo service upon arrival in Japan with my replacement iPhone.
When I arrived at Narita, I used the free wifi there to purchase a data eSIM from a website that caters to tourists so I could have access to the internet and LINE at the very least. I then went to a docomo shop to cancel my eSIM activation order that I had originally done previously because I couldn’t redo another eSIM activation order or even order a physical SIM card replacement with that hold on there. With the “Waiting for Activation” status gone from my account through the help of the docomo store staff, I decided to order a physical SIM for my phone number so that I wouldn’t have to deal with the hassle of eSIMs ever again, and it’s set to arrive at my place tomorrow.
So, there’s my experience with AppleCare+ service overseas and the anxiety it induced in me. But hey, at least no more shutter sound permanently for me now thanks to the Canadian model I received.