Apple pilot tests extended AppleCare+ eligibility

Whether this is just a holiday offering or one program that will be available beyond this season, Apple is testing out the extension of its AppleCare+ program beyond 60 days in select North American locations. The pilot program started this week at 29 locations in Canada and in 50 or so Apple Stores in the US. The extended eligibility means devices bought between 61 days and one year can still avail of AppleCare+. Initially, the reports claim it was up to two years, but then it was reduced to one.

To make sure you qualify, you need to schedule a Genius Bar appointment where the technician will run diagnostics on your device as well as perform a visual check to confirm eligibility. AppleCare+ offers two or three years of extended hardware coverage and technical support, depending on the type of device. The service includes up to two incidents of accidental damage, each subject to a service fee.

Source: MacRumors

Report claims Apple might end 'One to One' sessions soon

Apple might be switching out its "One to One" training sessions for Apple Store customers for free open workshops instead. According to a report from MacRumors, Apple doesn't have plans to sell any new One to One memberships but they will honor the existing ones. The company is supposedly looking to reorganize the free workshops they already run at their stores and center them around themes such as "Discover" and "Create." They haven't said any explicit reason for the change. Perhaps, there isn't that much public interest in it anymore or Apple might be thinking of maximizing its staff more. 

Source: MacRumors | Via: Apple Insider 

The Apple Beat: Cloning Apple Stores in China

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Competitors can copy how your products look, maybe even how they work but when placed side by side, you can always tell which is the original and which is the copycat. Apple's popular products have been copied often but cloning an entire Apple Retail Store, that's just brazen.

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