Apple has recently updated its vintage and obsolete products lists, marking a significant shift in the status of several Mac models. To be specific, Apple has put three mac models under its vintage products list and slid down nine models from vintage to obsolete list.
According to Apple, products are classified as vintage when they were discontinued from distribution for sale more than five years ago but less than seven years ago. This designation indicates that while these devices may still function, they are no longer considered part of Apple’s current product lineup. Owners of vintage products can seek repairs and service from apple or authorised service providers, provided that repair parts are still available. Vintage status is typically assigned to devices that have been out of circulation for more than five years but less than seven years.
As part of the latest update, Apple has classified three Mac models as vintage -MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018), MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, 2 Thunderbolt 3 Ports) and MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, 4 Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
Apple classifies products as obsolete when they have not been distributed for sale for more than seven years. This means that Apple no longer provides any hardware service for these devices, and service providers cannot order parts for them. However, mac laptops may qualify for an extended battery-only repair period for up to ten years from their last distribution date, but this is contingent on the availability of parts. Nine additional Mac models have been moved from the vintage category to the obsolete category. This transition means these devices will no longer be eligible for any repair services from Apple- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016), MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015), MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, 2 Thunderbolt 3 Ports), MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, 4 Thunderbolt 3 Ports), MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016), MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015), iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2015), iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, Late 2015), and iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015).
