I always buy via Apple rather than John Lewis if the price is the same, as Apple are fully aware of their responsibilities under UK consumer law, especially with reference to the second year, and potentially beyond. I would much rather take an Apple product back to Apple in the second year rather than John Lewis, as their turn around time is much quicker and JL customer service isn’t as good as it once once. I sat next to somebody at the genius bar who had an issue in the second year, and the Apple employee quite correctly told them they needed to contact the retailer they purchased with if they were relying on consumer law (if you purchase from a third party, your contract is with them not Apple, so consumer law requirers you to take the matter up with the retailer, not the manufacturer).
I do know enough about Apple Care to really comment having never purchased it, but what does it cover (notwithstanding accidental damage) that wouldn’t be covered under UK consumer law? It is entirely reasonable to expect a laptop to function flawlessly in year 2 (and beyond), so I can’t see a case where it wouldn’t be covered under consumer law. I have an (unused) law degree, hence why I would never contemplate purchasing a third party warranty because UK consumer law is very much (unsurprisingly) on the side of the consumer.
