It's a wee bit of a con, Graeme.
Apple's own website points out that (as with all consumer goods) their products are covered by UK consumer legislation which gives protection for 6 years (England and Wales) or 5 years (Scotland).
See here:
https://www.apple.com/uk/legal/statutory-warranty/(That, by the way, is one of the reasons that some goods seem more expensive in UK than outwith the EU. Apart from 20% tax, manufacturers and retailers have to allow for the costs of providing warranty service for much longer under UK consumer legislation.)
.