Apple has recently updated its inventory of vintage and obsolete products, adding the iPhone XS Max, several models of Apple Watch, and more. Here’s what this update entails.
Two new vintage entries and four classified as obsolete
Joe Rossignol from MacRumors was the first to notice today’s updates, which follow a similar vintage classification for various Macs and iPads last month.
Here’s the latest round of additions:
Recently Declared Vintage
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone 6s Plus
Recently Classified as Obsolete
- Apple Watch Series 2, Aluminum (2nd generation), 38mm
- Apple Watch Series 2, Aluminum (2nd generation), 42mm
- Apple Watch Series 2, Stainless Steel (2nd generation), 38mm
- Apple Watch Series 2, Stainless Steel (2nd generation), 42mm
It’s notable that both the iPhone XS Max and iPhone 6s Plus made their way to the vintage list together, despite being launched three years apart; the 6s Plus debuted in 2015, while the XS Max arrived in 2018.
Apple categorizes products as vintage or obsolete based on when they ceased being sold rather than their launch date. Hence, the iPhone 6s Plus enjoyed a much longer presence in the market compared to the XS Max.
Apple’s definitions of vintage and obsolete products
Here are Apple’s definitions for the two categories:
- Vintage: Products are designated as vintage when Apple stops selling them for more than 5 years but less than 7 years.
- Obsolete: Products fall into the obsolete category when Apple stops selling them for over 7 years. Furthermore, Beats products branded with the Monster name are deemed obsolete, regardless of purchase date. Apple discontinues all hardware service for obsolete products, and service providers cannot order parts for them. However, Mac laptops may qualify for an extended battery-only repair period of up to 10 years from the cessation of sales, subject to part availability.
Essentially, these designations are strictly based on the timeline, without considering any other factors.
The implications of these classifications are significant for a device’s repairability. Vintage products may still be fixable by Apple if parts are available, whereas obsolete products cannot be repaired.
Were there any surprises in today’s vintage and obsolete announcements? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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