Apple has extended the amount of time that customers can purchase AppleCare+ after buying a new iPhone to one year, according to a new report by MacRumors. Previously, customers purchasing a new iPhone had up to 60 days to decide whether or not to purchase Apple’s AppleCare+ protection plan, which increases the covered iPhone’s warranty coverage and telephone support to two years from the date of the device’s purchase and provides coverage for up to two incidents of accidental damage during the coverage period.
Customers purchasing AppleCare+ separately from an iPhone will be required to provide a proof of purchase and either have Apple physically inspect the device in an Apple Store, or run a remote diagnostic when purchasing online.
Although Apple has not yet updated its web site to reflect this change, MacRumors was able to confirm the extension with a senior AppleCare advisor. The advisor noted that the extension only applies to the iPhone, and not the iPad, iPod touch, or Apple Watch, for which the time limit on purchasing AppleCare+ remains at 60 days.
While the policy change went into affect this week in the U.S., it’s unclear whether the same policy applies in other countries.
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