APPLE has declared several more of its gadgets “vintage” and “obsolete”, including a popular iPad model, macs and accessories.
The updated status of these electronics could make them more costly for people to keep using.
This is because they may be more difficult to repair at Apple stores[/caption]
Apple considers a product “vintage” five years after it was last distributed for sale, which then becomes “obsolete” two years later.
One addition that finally made it to the vintage list is the 2013 “Trash Can” Mac Pro, 12 years after being sold.
This was because the computer was on the market for so long, that it did not discontinue selling until December 2019.
Apple was unable to introduce a new Mac Pro to replace the cyclindrical version due to design limitations, the company admitted in 2017.
It was much smaller than the previous generation of Mac Pro, and there was not space to upgrade internal components like GPUs.
Apple’s hardware chief at the time, Craig Federighi, admitted: “I think we designed ourselves into a bit of a thermal corner.”
Along with the 2013 Mac Pro, several other Apple devices were added to the vintage products list.
These include:
- 2019 13-inch MacBook Air
- 2019 iMac
- 2018 11-inch iPad Pro
- 2018 third-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro
- iPhone 8 128GB
The 128GB version of the iPhone 8 was sold for longer than its 64GB and 256GB counterparts, however has now joined them on the vintage list.
A number of devices were also transitioned from Apple’s vintage list to “obsolete”.
These include:
- Second-generation AirPort Express
- 2TB and 3TB AirPort Time Capsules
- 802.11ac AirPort Extreme
Apple retail stores and Apple Authorised Service Providers (AASPs) still offer repairs for vintage products if the required parts are availablle.
If these parts are not available, repairs are unlikely to be possible.
Products that are obsolete are not repaired by Apple stores or AASPs.
Apple also no longer provided parts for them.
However, some Mac laptops may be eligible for a battery-only repair for a period of up to 10 years from when the product was last distributed for sale.
This is subject to the availability of parts.
