Navigating Through Apple's Portables: Expert Advice Compared Between MacBook Pro and MacBook Air by ZDNET
Decoding Apple’s Labeling Practices: When Your Device Is Declared Obsolete or Retro by the Tech Giant
Kayla Solino/ZDNET
That six-year-old iPhone or eight-year-old iPad you own may still be running, but if you need any replacement parts or servicing, you’re likely to bump into trouble. That’s because Apple deems products vintage or obsolete after a certain number of years, limiting your repair options.
In a support page updated on Monday as spotted by 9to5Mac , Apple explains how support and servicing work when a product is no longer under warranty and reveals which unlucky devices are now considered vintage or obsolete. In a nutshell, devices become vintage when Apple has stopped selling them more than five years but less than seven years ago. They become obsolete when Apple halted sales more than seven years ago.
Also: The best iPhone models you can buy right now (and if you should wait for iPhone 16)
As a few examples, the iPhone X, the fifth-generation iPad, the Apple Watch Series 2, the first-generation AirPods, and the early 2015 MacBook Air are all now considered vintage by Apple. The iPhone 6 Plus, the fourth-generation iPad, the first-generation Apple Watch, the first three generations of the Apple TV, and the 2013 MacBook Air are all labeled obsolete by Apple.
Apple and independent repair providers will provide parts and service for Apple and Beats products for up to five years after sales ended. OK, no problem there.
Newsletters
ZDNET Tech Today
ZDNET’s Tech Today newsletter is a daily briefing of the newest, most talked about stories, five days a week.
Subscribe
If a product is considered vintage, however, you may still be able to request parts and service, depending on the availability of the parts. So if your local Apple Store or independent shop doesn’t have the parts in stock, you may have to wait until they’re found, or you may be out of luck entirely. In that case, you might have to turn to eBay or another third-party reseller to try to dig up the parts yourself.
Also: 8 cool ways to use LiDAR on your iPhone and iPad
The news is worse for a product considered obsolete. In those cases, Apple discontinues all hardware service for such devices, and service providers can’t even order parts for them. The only exception is a MacBook, which may be able to score a battery-only repair for as long as 10 years after Apple curtailed sales, but only if parts are available.
The cynical take on all of this is that Apple purposely renders products vintage or obsolete to force people to buy the latest models. That’s certainly true. Still, as the supply of parts for older devices dwindles, repair options do become more limited, and sooner or later, you’ll have to replace your trusty but defective iPhone or iPad if surgery is no longer an option.
Featured
We’ve used every iPhone 16 model and here’s our best buying advice for 2024
20 years later, real-time Linux makes it to the kernel - really
My biggest regret with upgrading my iPhone to iOS 18 (and I’m not alone)
Want a programming job? Learn these three languages
- We’ve used every iPhone 16 model and here’s our best buying advice for 2024
- 20 years later, real-time Linux makes it to the kernel - really
- My biggest regret with upgrading my iPhone to iOS 18 (and I’m not alone)
- Want a programming job? Learn these three languages
Also read:
- [Updated] In 2024, Nailing the Perfect Timelapse with iOS Devices
- [Updated] Unleashing the Power of Free, Copyright-Free Image Repositories for 2024
- Avoid Common Mistakes: Key Points to Consider When Choosing a Selfie Stick
- Best Learning Applications: Our Pick-of-the-Crop
- Experience Retro Gaming with These Top 6 Super Mario Bros Hits for Your Computer
- How To Repair iPhone 8 System Issues? | Dr.fone
- In 2024, 10 Free Location Spoofers to Fake GPS Location on your Google Pixel Fold | Dr.fone
- In 2024, Guide to Mirror Your Motorola Moto G14 to Other Android devices | Dr.fone
- Spotify Keeps Crashing A Complete List of Fixes You Can Use on Vivo T2 Pro 5G | Dr.fone
- Streamline House Painting: Discover the 4 Top Mobile Apps Every Homeowner Needs
- The Ultimate Guide: Viewing The Matrix Series Sequentially
- Title: Navigating Through Apple's Portables: Expert Advice Compared Between MacBook Pro and MacBook Air by ZDNET
- Author: James
- Created at : 2024-10-01 20:49:01
- Updated at : 2024-10-07 18:35:34
- Link: https://technical-tips.techidaily.com/navigating-through-apples-portables-expert-advice-compared-between-macbook-pro-and-macbook-air-by-zdnet/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.