Uh-Oh: HTC’s new warranty program offers some serious benefits (US only)

HTC is extending its Advantage warranty program with new benefits and a longer validity period. The new program is called Uh-Oh, and while the name is funny, the benefits it offers are nothing to laugh at.

Customers who sign up for Uh-Oh will receive a free one-time replacement if their One M9 or One M8 suffers a broken screen or any water damage. The coverage lasts for 12 months from the purchase of a device, and all users are automatically signed up upon purchasing a device. Like Advantage before it, the Uh-Oh program will be available in the United States only. It’s not clear yet if other devices besides the M9 and M8 will be included, but we know for sure that Desire series phones are not covered.

Compared to last year’s Advantage, the new Uh-Oh doubles the coverage time and extends it to water damage, one of the most common ways to ruin a smartphone. Even if you don’t damage your phone, there are some benefits – HTCwill give you a new device if you switch carriers (you have to give back the old one), and, if you don’t use any of these replacements, you will get $100 credit to use against a future HTCOne purchase.

For more details, HTCwill be holding a live customer Q&A session with US president Jason Mackenzie from 12PM ET/9AM PT. Watch the live stream here. Mackenzie is pretty confident that Uh-Oh will help differentiate the M9: “Our competitors look at cracked screens and broken phones as a way to milk more money from [their] customers,” he said. “We see it as a way to change the game, and give customers a premium experience with a premium product. We think the Uh Oh Program is something that will tip people over the edge.”

Uh-Oh looks like a nice little bonus for One M9 buyers, especially if you’re a butterfingers like me (and you don’t like bulky cases.) Too bad it’s US-only at this point.

Is this warranty program something that would sway you towards picking up the M9 when it becomes available later this month?