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Apple has updated its official list of vintage and obsolete products. Several well-known devices have been added, including the last Intel MacBook Air, the Apple Watch Series 5 in all its variants, and the iPhone 11 Pro. The changes affect Macs, iPhones, iPads, and accessories, and are particularly relevant regarding repairs and spare parts.
Apple categorizes its products according to strict time-based rules. Devices are initially considered vintage and later classified as obsolete. This categorization determines whether repairs are still possible and how long technical support is generally provided. The recently released update clearly shows how many products from 2018 to 2020 have now reached this status.
New on the vintage list
Apple has officially classified several devices as vintage. These include:
- MacBook Air Retina 13-inch from 2020
- iPhone 8 Plus with 128 GB of storage. Other storage sizes were already vintage.
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPad Air 3 with Wi-Fi and Cellular. Wi-Fi-only models are still not considered vintage.
The update is particularly extensive for the Apple Watch Series 5. All models of this generation are now considered vintage. This includes:
- Aluminum 40 mm and 44 mm
- Stainless steel 40 mm and 44 mm
- Titanium 40 mm and 44 mm
- Ceramic 40 mm and 44 mm
- Nike Edition 40 mm and 44 mm
- Hermès Edition 40mm and 44mm
The last Intel MacBook Air
The 2020 13-inch MacBook Air Retina was the last Air model with Intel processors. It was introduced in March 2020 and was only on sale for about eight months. Depending on the configuration, it was available with different CPUs:
- 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i3
- 1.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i5
- 1.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Apple introduced the MacBook Air with the M1 chip back in November 2020. This officially marked the beginning of the transition to Apple Silicon, which very quickly pushed the Intel model out of the product line.
Meaning of Vintage Status at Apple
Apple considers a device vintage if more than five years have passed since it was officially discontinued for sale. Apple Stores and authorized service providers can still offer repairs for these products, provided that suitable replacement parts are still available. There is no longer a warranty on repairs or parts.
Beats special edition now outdated
In addition to the new vintage products, Apple has also reclassified another device. The Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones in the Mickey Mouse 90th Anniversary Edition from 2018 have been moved from the vintage list to the obsolete list.
Apple considers a product obsolete if more than seven years have passed since its initial release. Hardware service is generally no longer offered for these devices. Mac laptops are an exception; under certain conditions, they can still be repaired for up to ten years after discontinuation, provided spare parts are available.
Apple declares more classics for vintage
With this latest update, Apple continues its clear approach to product maintenance. Several devices that were widely used for a long time have now reached vintage status or are already considered obsolete. The last Intel MacBook Air, in particular, marks the definitive end of a transition phase before the switch to Apple Silicon. Repair support for existing devices is becoming increasingly limited and depends more and more on the availability of spare parts. (Image: Shutterstock / manaemedia)
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