Apple this month started including 7-day complimentary AppleCare+ coverage with new products purchased through its stores in Australia, including any new Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, AirPods, HomePod mini, and more. The complimentary coverage is automatically included with the purchase of a qualifying new Apple product.
The addition was brought to our attention today by MacRumors reader Jack Jacobs, but based on recent updates to the AppleCare+ terms and conditions in Australia, it appears the change was implemented last week, on September 30.
The complimentary AppleCare+ period provides the same coverage as a paid AppleCare+ plan, including coverage for up to two incidents of accidental damage, according to the terms and conditions. After the complimentary coverage expires, customers may purchase AppleCare+ as a one-time purchase or on a monthly basis.
It's unclear why Apple implemented this change, but it could relate to strong warranty protections under Australian Consumer Law. The complimentary AppleCare+ coverage is not available in the United States or other countries that we checked.
Ordered the new Apple Watch! You now get AppleCare+ free for 7 days. @9to5mac @MacRumors pic.twitter.com/1z3d9Dn8pi — Jack Jacobs 🏳️🌈 (@jacojac) October 8, 2021
Update: The change in policy is due to new requirements for add-on insurance like AppleCare+ in Australia. Under the new regulations, there is a mandatory four-day pause between the sale of a product and any add-on insurance for that product, so Apple is providing seven days of free AppleCare+ coverage to span that gap.
The regulations apply across a broad range of product categories and are intended to help protect customers against high-pressure sales and poor-value insurance products frequently offered at the time of product purchase.
Top Rated Comments
Apple is obviously offering the 7 days because of the stupid 4 day moratorium on discussing the extended warranty but why should it be any longer? Why should Apple do anything for you if you drop your phone 2 seconds out of the box? I agree it sucks for the consumer but it certainly isn't Apple's fault you dropped it or their responsibility to repair it. That is why Apple offers AppleCare+ as an insurance policy for the consumer.
Is a car dealer expected to fix a car that you smash pulling out of the dealership?
If your brand new TV falls from its wall mount 2 seconds after you hang it is the manufacturer expected to repair it?
Edit: removed a quote from @tobefirst that I misread.
After HP, Apple and another large tech companies were all pulled up on failing to comply with Australian statutory warranty law, underwhich products must be covered for the "period reasonably be expected to last after purchase".
This is determined by a number of factors, but in Apples case iPhones were usually sold on 2 year contracts at a very high price and thus the owner would expect the product, given its price and "quality" touted by Apple, to be covered from faults for that time.
This also extends across to laptops and other devices; HP were fined $3M and even made to place advertisements explaining that they now understand consumer law in Australia and that in fact advertising a "1 Year Warranty" on all products is illegal.
https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/hp-to-pay-3-million-for-misleading-consumers-and-retailers
A cheap $300 plastic laptop, sure, you wouldn't expect massive durability there unless advertised as such.
$5000 MacBook Pro? You bet a consumer expects that to last a couple of years - and the ACL protects the consumer being told to pay for repairs by the manufacturer if product fails before a reasonable time. That being at least 2 years on Apple gear, but that is not a limit and in fact is illegal to advertise as such.
With these protections in place, AppleCare+ actually really just offers protections Australian consumers inherit already from the consumer protection laws. Thus, its a bit of a scam to tell customers to buy it to gain those protections under insurance as well.
The only good thing about AppleCare+ is accidental breakage (which would be cheaper to repair by third parties if Apple didn't void warranty anyway) and customer support - which you can get in a Genius Bar anyway.
7 days? Whoo hoo!
Consumer laws need to catch up in many parts of the world (including the US).
It can be spoken about if they bring it up but it CAN NOT be sold or talked about in anyway shape or form for 4 full days after the device is sold.
The 7 days of free AC+ basically allows them time to get covered from day 1 for those that want to be.
ITs a AUS government BS thing going on.
If it weren't for consumer laws, companies like Apple would constantly put two fingers up at you and deny you any right to repair.
Citing your examples, they are all a bit naive. In all cases, you have demonstrated examples of consumer negligence and this isn't what consumer protection is about.
But, having said all that. In the instance of the car; This is why you have insurance. On new cars, you must also have fully comprehensive insurance. With regards to the television, this is clear negligence on the part of the consumer, however, in most cases, insurance will once again cover this level of damage, or part of it.