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Seeing your favorite handheld gaming device in a retro store has a unique way of making you feel old, but Apple might have topped it. According to the company, the iPhone XS Max and iPhone 6s Plus are now “vintage.” They join the ranks of the iPhone 4 and even the iPad Pro 12.9-inch model.
It’s not wholly unexpected. Apple declares a device vintage after five years, and that means it becomes more difficult to have that device repaired or to find replacement parts for it. Obsolete is applied to products that are more than seven years old, but sometimes certain variants get that label early.
As spotted by MacRumors, the iPhone 6S Plus with 32GB is already considered obsolete. Once a device is considered obsolete, Apple will no longer provide repair services or software updates. The iPhone 6S Plus launched in 2015, so it clung to life longer than most phones.
The Apple Watch 2 just passed the seven-year mark, which means it is now considered obsolete. While you could still get repairs performed from third-party shops, Apple has washed its hands of the device.
So, if you’re still using a much older Apple device that isn’t yet obsolete and it needs a tune-up, start looking around for a place to get it fixed it now. Once it becomes obsolete, it will be much harder to repair. In fact, now is a good time to consider shopping for an upgrade; the capabilities of the iPhone have changed so much in recent years that anyone with a model that’s more than five years old is missing out on some of the most interesting features to come to Apple devices in a long time. Lucky for you, there’s lots to choose from when shopping for the best iPhone in 2024.
Sure, you can do a lot of repairs yourself, but Apple isn’t known for being friendly to DIYers. It wasn’t until 2021 that Apple eased up on its restrictions and began to “allow” people to repair their own phones.
It’s worth noting that the seven-year limit doesn’t apply to MacBooks. Certain models are eligible for battery replacements and other repairs for up to 10 years, although it’s on a product-by-product basis.
