Apple is officially adding three of its older 2014 models to the list of products it considers obsolete. These products include the 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air along with the 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Apple Declares Three More Products Obsolete
PCMag reports that the three models, which were initially released back in 2014, will officially be added to Apple's "obsolete products list." As per Apple's support page, however, this means that users won't be getting any more hardware service when they are using products considered "obsolete."
The page, however, notes that Mac notebooks are still "eligible for an additional battery-only repair," saying service providers won't be able to order parts for products that are considered obsolete by Apple.
Clarification of Battery-Only Repairs for a Limited Time in Select Countries
According to MacRumors, however, they were able to receive an internal memo stating that the battery-only repairs will only be available for a limited time in select countries. As per the publication's report, this move is quite normal for Apple when it comes to products that have started selling for a period of seven years ago.
The story by Mashable details that all three models were already considered "vintage" in 2020. The Apple support page includes a list of both the vintage and obsolete models, with the latest being the iMac Retina 5k 27-inch which was released in Mid 2015.
What are Apple Vintage Products?
When it comes to obsolete products, the support page includes a list for Mac, the iPod, the iPhone, and even Beats. As for the Apple Watch, although there aren't any models considered obsolete, the Apple Watch 1st gen 38mm and 42mm were considered vintage models.
As per a 2018 article by Cnet, there is a distinct difference between Apple products considered vintage and those considered obsolete. The publication notes that Apple considers a product vintage if its manufacturing date is more than five years.
What are Apple Obsolete Products?
When it comes to obsolete Apple products, however, these are products that were manufactured over seven years ago. With that, a good rule of thumb to know how long an Apple product has is to know the release date and add five years for vintage status and seven years for obsolete status.
With Apple support diminishing over time, it would be more strategic for buyers to make sure they get models that were recently released if they want to experience Apple's support for a longer time.
Apple Announces Self Service Repair Kit
In November 2021, Apple announced it was going to release a self-service repair kit including parts, tools, and manuals. Although this could sound like a great way to keep older devices for a longer period, the announcement stated that the kit would start with the iPhone 12 and 13 while being available to just a select number of consumers.
Related Article: Apple's 2022 MacBook Air Delayed to Second Half? Analyst Claims it is Still Coming, No Pro Release
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Written by Urian B.
