Apple has officially added the Apple Watch Series 4 to its public vintage products list, marking the beginning of the end for this iconic wearable. As of today, all 40mm and 44mm aluminium and stainless steel models of the Apple Watch Series 4 are considered vintage worldwide. This status change means that Apple will no longer be distributing the device for sale, and it will be treated as part of the company’s legacy product lineup.
The term “vintage” in the tech industry is used to refer to devices that have not been sold for at least five years, a threshold Apple follows when designating products as vintage. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that users are completely out of luck when it comes to repairs or support. Apple and Apple Authorised Service Providers may still offer repairs for vintage devices, but only if replacement parts are available. After five years, support becomes increasingly limited, and finding replacement parts can become more difficult.
Launched in 2018, the Apple Watch Series 4 introduced a thinner, more elegant case design, paired with a 30% larger display compared to previous generations. This made the watch not only more visually appealing but also more functional for users, offering additional room for apps, notifications, and improved readability. It also featured advanced health and fitness tracking, including the ability to detect falls and measure electrocardiograms (ECGs), which brought a major leap in smartwatch functionality.
The addition of the Series 4 to the vintage list follows a trend of Apple phasing out older models. In addition to the Apple Watch Series 4, Apple also added the final 15-inch MacBook Pro model from May 2019 to its vintage products list.
For many Apple users, the vintage status of their beloved devices is bittersweet. It serves as a reminder of how quickly technology evolves, as well as the inevitable obsolescence of older models. But despite being classified as vintage, the Apple Watch Series 4 and the 15-inch MacBook Pro still offer impressive performance and design, and they remain functional for those who continue to use them.