Nearly one third of college students and recent grads have either broken or had their mobile devices stolen, a new Google Survey shows.
The poll, conducted on behalf of extended warranty provider ProtectYourBubble, also indicates that the mobile mishaps occurred most often while at a party or a bar.
Giving credence to the “Animal House” portrayal of college life, 9.5 percent of respondents said their mobile devices were damaged by beer or alcohol spillage, while another 8 percent said they were too intoxicated to remember what happened to their cellphone or tablet.
The data come as millions of students return to campuses for the fall semester, and provide a compelling argument for sales associates making their pitch for extended warranty attachments.
“Today’s students are utterly dependent on their devices to stay in touch via social networking, learn about news and events on campus, coordinate activities and manage calendars,” observed ProtectYourBubble president Stephen Ebbett. “But many of them will lose or break their expensive devices due to theft or negligence and perhaps hit their parents up for the replacement price.”
ProtectYourBubble is a unit of extended service contract provider Assurant Solutions. The web-based business takes a page from SquareTrade, the popular service plan provider that began by selling competitively priced coverage direct to consumers, and which has since extended its reach to retailers, manufacturers and distributors.
ProtectYourBubble noted that new “gadget insurance policies” are now widely available online that can protect against the ravages of a university environment at a more affordable price than what’s typically offered through a carrier or retailer.
