Apple has reportedly introduced an international warranty for iPhone buyers living in India, letting them get an iPhone outside the country and still receive support at home.
The main catch is that iPhones must be factory unlocked, rather than bought through a carrier and forcibly unlocked afterwards, according to the Hindustan Times. The second option would potentially be cheaper, since some carriers sell phones for less upfront in exchange for long-term fees.
Sources for the Times indicated that Apple actually implemented the change a few weeks ago, but hasn't highlighted it in any of its terms and conditions.
Apple controls a small fraction of the Indian smartphone market-- largely because iPhones are beyond the price range of most people. About 70 percent of smartphones sold in the country cost less than $150, cheaper even than locally-made versions of the iPhone SE.
The switch may be meant to help Indian buyers of the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X. The X in particular is likely to be hard to find, given intense preorder demand and several reports pointing to production bottlenecks caused by the phone's TrueDepth camera. Apple has denied rumors that it allowed lower accuracy in the camera to smooth out manufacturing.