Apple Classified These Products As Vintage: Here's What It Means
If your Apple products are no longer all that fresh, we might have bad news for you. Apple has just added nine new products to its list of Vintage devices. The information was distributed in an internal memo sent out to Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers, and later, shared by MacRumors with the public at large. Apple labels devices as Vintage when they are reaching the end of their lifespan, and if you own one of them, you might have to look into buying something new the next time they malfunction.
The world of electronics moves fast — so much so that keeping up with it is usually very expensive. Gone are the days when buying a laptop or a desktop computer meant you'd be set for many years. These days, most manufacturers hope that you'll be replacing your new device within a few years, with some experts estimating that a laptop's lifespan is just three to five years.f
It's hard to resist upgrading when new and exciting hardware is being multiple times a year, every year. Apple itself launches new products two to four times a year, and each time, fans of the brand are left to wonder: "Is it time to upgrade yet?" While the answer to that question is ultimately up to you, Apple makes the decision easier — and somewhat unavoidable — by retiring some devices and labeling them Vintage. Let's take a look at which products are being put to rest, and what that means for you if you own one of them.
Apple bids farwell to MacBooks, iMacs, and iPads
Although the list of newly-retired devices includes MacBook Pros, a MacBook Air, a regular MacBook, two iMacs, and two iPad Pros, perhaps the most notable ones are the MacBook Pros. This includes the 2016 versions of the laptop: the 13-inch models (with either two or four Thunderbolt ports) and the 15-inch model. All three of these included the controversial Touch Bar, which Apple got rid of in the new MacBook Pro collection released in 2021.
When the notebooks were initially released in 2016, they made quite a splash, bringing with them upgrades such as thinner screen bezels and Touch ID. However, they also introduced some major reductions in versatility that Apple has since started to shy back away from, like the axing of all ports aside from USB-C Thunderbolt and a headphone jack. With this latest set of additions to the Vintage list, Apple bids farewell to the following products:
- 13-inch MacBook Pro (2016, Two Thunderbolt Ports)
- 13-inch MacBook Pro (2016, Four Thunderbolt Ports)
- 15-inch MacBook Pro (2016)
- 13-inch MacBook Air (2015)
- 12-inch MacBook (2016)
- 21.5-inch iMac (2015)
- 27-inch Retina 5K iMac (2015)
- 9.7-inch iPad Pro with Wi-Fi
- 9.7-inch iPad Pro with Wi-Fi + Cellular
If you own any of these devices, you don't have to rush to buy a new Apple product just yet. Apple adds devices to their vintage products list when they haven't been part of sale distribution from Apple for at least five years, meaning they have been discontinued. Apple will continue offering repairs for up to two more years after retiring these devices, but only if the parts will be available. As such, while you may not have to shop right now, it might be time to start looking at some deals and thinking of the future.