If you are the proud owner of an Apple Watch Series 2 model that has a swollen battery or fails to power on, Apple will now repair it free of charge.
The company on Friday sent an internal document to Apple Authorized Service Providers and Apple Stores in which it states that it was aware of the problem. It added: “Apple will service eligible devices free of charge. Apple will authorize coverage for eligible devices for three years after the original date of purchase.”
The policy likely applies to wherever an Apple service provider is available.
A swollen battery can cause an Apple Watch’s display to burst open, or stop it from powering on. Pictures of devices where this has happed have recently started appearing online.
Apple watch owners who experience this type of problem can go to the Apple Support page, choose Apple Watch, and then select Battery and scroll to Power, Charging, Bring in for Repair to make an appointment with an Apple Authorized Service Provider or Apple Store.
Eligible devices include 42mm Series 2 Apple Watches such as Edition, Sport, Mike+, and Hermès that pass a mechanical and/or visual inspection. The Apple document states that the device’s warranty status was not relevant in this case.
The original Apple Watch, Series 3 and Series 1 models and 38mm models are not covered.
The firm advises owners of previous Apple Watch Series 2 models who want a refund to contact one of its support advisors.
The company has not yet made any public announcement, but a well-known Apple news website said it verified the authenticity of the document with various sources. Cases have been reported, however, of Apple workers blankly telling customers that there is no such policy. Simply insisting on talking to a senior manager should do the trick, however.