US based global tech giant Apple has officially updated its list of vintage and obsolete products by adding several popular devices including iPhone 11 Pro and Apple Watch Series 5. This move signals the gradual winding down of official support for some once popular hardware, even as many of these devices remain in everyday use.
What is Vintage and Obsolete
The tech giant has clarified products and gadgets as vintage once they have been off sale for more than five years. However, these devices can still be repaired; their servicing depends on the availability of parts.
The Obsolete products are those Apple products which crosses seven-year mark after discontinuation, then it became Obsolete which means Apple and authorised service centers no longer offer repairs or replacement components.
In simple words, the vintage label serves as a warning that official support is nearing its end.
iPhone 11 Pro entered the vintage list
As per the MacRumors, the iPhone 11 Pro is the most popular addition to the vintage list. This addition is surprising because the device still gets the latest iOS updates and remains a capable daily use phone. The iPhone 11 Pro is the oldest phone compatible with iOS 26.
The service and repairs are still possible for the device. Its addition to vintage list means the user has a limited window before official servicing ends entirely.
Other devices added to list
Apart from the iPhone 11 Pro the company has also added several other devices to its vintage category including Apple Watch Series 5, 13-inch MacBook Air (2020, intel-based), iPad Air 3 (cellular), and iPhone 8 Plus (128 GB variant)
Devices classified as obsolete
Apple has also updated its obsolete list which includes much older iPhone and iPad models such as the iPhone 5, iPhone 6 series, early iPad minis, and several first and second-generation iPads models. Once the device is enrolled in the list the company no longer provides hardware services or replacement parts under any circumstances.
For users of newly classified vintage devices, now is the time to consider repairs if needed. However, the software support may continue in some cases, hardware servicing will become increasingly difficult over the next couple of years.
Syed Ziyauddin is a media and international relations enthusiast with a strong academic and professional foundation. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media from Jamia Millia Islamia and a Master’s in International Relations (West Asia) from the same institution.
He has work with organizations like ANN Media, TV9 Bharatvarsh, NDTV and Centre for Discourse, Fusion, and Analysis (CDFA) his core interest includes Tech, Auto and global affairs.
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