iPhone XS Max and more join Apple’s vintage and obsolete product lists

1 week ago 2

Apple has updated its lists of vintage and obsolete products today, adding the iPhone XS Max, several Apple Watch models, and more. Here’s what that means.

Two new vintage products and four obsolete

Today’s additions were spotted by Joe Rossignol at MacRumors and come after Apple marked a variety of Macs and iPads vintage just last month.

Here’s what’s been added in the most recent update:

Newly Vintage

iPhone XS Max
iPhone 6s Plus

Newly Obsolete

Apple Watch Series 2, Aluminum (2nd generation), 38mm
Apple Watch Series 2, Aluminum (2nd generation), 42mm
Apple Watch Series 2, Stainless Steel (2nd generation), 38mm
Apple Watch Series 2, Stainless Steel (2nd generation), 42mm

It’s interesting that the iPhone XS Max and iPhone 6s Plus are joining the vintage list at the same time, since they debuted three years apart. The 6s Plus arrived in 2015 and the XS Max not until 2018.

Apple’s vintage and obsolete designations, though, are based on when a product stops being sold rather than when it starts. Clearly, the iPhone 6s Plus had an especially long run in the market compared to the XS Max.

Apple’s definitions for vintage and obsolete products

Here are Apple’s definitions of these two terms:

Vintage: Products are considered vintage when Apple stopped distributing them for sale more than 5 and less than 7 years ago.

Obsolete: Products are considered obsolete when Apple stopped distributing them for sale more than 7 years ago. Monster-branded Beats products are considered obsolete regardless of when they were purchased. Apple discontinues all hardware service for obsolete products, and service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products. Mac laptops may be eligible for an extended battery-only repair period for up to 10 years from when the product was last distributed for sale, subject to parts availability.

In short, the designations are entirely tied to the passage of time, no other factor.

What they mean, though, determines a device’s repairability prospects. Vintage products can perhaps still be repaired by Apple, assuming parts are available, but obsolete products cannot.

Anything you find surprising from today’s vintage and obsolete additions? Let us know in the comments.