Apple has extended its obsolete and vintage product list. As reported by MacRumors, now the iPhone XS Max (launched in 2018) and iPhone 6s Plus (launched in 2015) have been marked as ‘vintage’ gadgets. But what does this mean for you? Here’s what it could mean for Apple’s users.
Reshuffling ‘vintage and obsolete’ products list
So, what does the vintage list define? A gadget which has been there for more than five years comes under the vintage list. Once your product becomes vintage there are less chances that you could repair them. So, what are the products that have been added in the ‘vintage ’ list? The vintage product list now contains the Apple Watch 2 with the ceramic casing, iPhone 6s Plus (launched in 2015) and the iPhone XS Max (launched in 2018).
Next comes the extended ‘obsolete’ Apple product list. A gadget becomes ‘obsolete’ when it’s been seven years since it got sold as a new product. Basically, the product is not seeing any sales as it eventually gets old. The new obsolete list now contains the aluminum and stainless steel Apple Watch 2 models that are now obsolete. Additionally, the iPhone 6s Plus with 32GB of storage also comes under the obsolete list. Also, obsolete products cannot be repaired. Neither the company nor Apple’s authorized partners can sell new parts of the old models. However, you can repair them from other stores but that might not be worth investing in after 7 years .
Notably, only a handful of MacBooks are eligible for battery replacement for up to 10 years, but that too in certain cases.
Other updates
In other news, Apple has stopped selling one of its most popular devices. Reportedly, the lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter has been discontinued. This jack was important for iPhones without the usual headphone jack. It looks like the product has been sold out across multiple online stores globally. The adapter could allow iPhone users to connect their wired headphones to devices equipped only with a Lightning port.
Furthermore, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple could also bring an upgraded version of its AirTag by next year. Gurman said that the next-generation is codenamed B589. This product is currently under the testing phase. Apple might launch the latest version of AirTag in 2025.
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