Apple now requires Apple IDs to schedule Genius Bar appointments online

When customers looking to make a Genius Bar appointment visit Apple's online reservations system, they are now met with the screen seen above, which notes that an Apple ID is needed to proceed. The new rule was reported by TechCrunch on Wednesday, though it is not clear when the shift in policy first rolled out.

According to the publication, Apple instituted the policy to ensure higher levels of control over support appointments, including payments. In addition, customer information tied to an Apple ID, like outstanding support tickets, can be accessed by the Genius Bar staff before a customer comes in, streamlining the process for both parties.

Apple has been busy revamping its customer support infrastructure over the past months, including a recent price hike to the AppleCare+ for iPhone deductible. While the plan remains priced at $99 and covers two incidents per device, the accidental damage service fee now runs $79, up from a previous cost of $49.