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Apple calls a product vintage more than five but less than seven years after it stopped distributing that product for sale. It calls a product obsolete more than seven years after distribution ended. Vintage status may still allow repair, depending on parts and local law; Apple discontinues hardware service for obsolete products, with a limited battery-repair exception for some Mac laptops. To check a device, use its exact model on Apple’s current service and obsolete-products page—launch year alone does not determine its status.
What do vintage and obsolete mean?
Apple classifies products according to when it last distributed them for sale, not simply when they launched. Its definitions are:
- Vintage: Apple stopped distributing the product more than five and less than seven years ago.
- Obsolete: Apple stopped distributing the product more than seven years ago.
Apple’s support guidance says service and parts may be available for a minimum of five years after the last distribution date, and may continue longer where required by law or, subject to parts availability, for up to seven years. These service windows do not mean every repair will be offered throughout that period.
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Can Apple still repair a vintage product?
Possibly, but vintage status is not a repair guarantee. Apple and its service providers may be able to service a vintage product if the required parts are available; applicable local laws can also affect service. Check with Apple or an authorized service provider about the exact model and repair needed.
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Apple identifies a limited exception for some Mac laptops: battery-only repairs may be available for up to 10 years after the model was last distributed, subject to parts availability. This does not mean all repairs are available for 10 years, or that every vintage or obsolete Mac laptop qualifies.
What happens when a product becomes obsolete?
Apple says it discontinues hardware service for obsolete products, and service providers cannot order parts for them. That affects Apple hardware service; it does not mean the device necessarily stops working or that independent repair is impossible. Any third-party repair is separate from Apple service, and compatibility and available parts depend on the model.
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How to check your Apple product’s status
- Identify the exact product. Note the model and, where relevant, its configuration, such as Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity or storage capacity.
- Check Apple’s live list. Find the product family on Apple’s service and obsolete-products page and match the exact model.
- Check the repair type. Vintage status may leave some service options; for an eligible Mac laptop, ask specifically whether battery-only service is available.
- Confirm locally. Ask Apple or an authorized provider whether the service is available in your region and whether parts are in stock. Laws and availability can affect the answer.
Apple notes France-specific service provisions. For new iPhone and Mac laptop models purchased in France after December 31, 2020, and new iPad models purchased there after June 24, 2024, Apple says service and parts may be available for seven years from the date the model was last supplied by Apple for distribution in France. This regional provision should not be treated as a worldwide guarantee.
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Why the exact model and last sale date matter
Two products in the same family—or different configurations of one product—may have different last distribution dates. Apple’s classification can therefore differ by model or configuration. MacRumors has described this with iPad Air 3 cellular and Wi-Fi models entering the lists at different times, and with iPhone 8 capacities that were sold for different lengths of time.
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For that reason, the release year is only a clue. A model that remained on sale later may reach Apple’s vintage or obsolete threshold later than an earlier-discontinued model. Use Apple’s current listing to confirm status rather than calculating from the launch date.
Recent changes reported by MacRumors
In its guide dated September 15, 2026, MacRumors reported that the 2019 4K iMac had been added to Apple’s vintage list. It also reported that Apple moved the 2018 Retina MacBook Air and two MacBook Pro models to obsolete status on August 31, 2026, and added iPhone X to the obsolete list on August 13, 2026. These are dated updates, not a substitute for checking Apple’s live list for a particular device.
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Which Apple products are covered?
Apple’s lists cover more than iPhones and Macs. They include products and accessories across several families:
- Mac computers, including Apple II models on the obsolete list
- iPhone and iPad
- iPod
- Apple Watch and Apple TV
- Beats products and peripherals
For collectors, Apple II computers are a historically notable example of products Apple classifies as obsolete. That classification concerns Apple service and parts ordering, not the value or historical interest of a collectible.
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