Apple is expected to unveil new M4 Macs in just a few weeks, but today the company has discontinued support for a number of older Mac models. Nine Macs have been added to Apple's list of “legacy products,” and three more have been declared “vintage,” according to MacRumors. Here's what that means.
Defining Obsolete and Vintage Products
Before listing the new obsolete and vintage products, it's important to define what each term means.
According to Apple, devices are considered obsolete when “Apple stopped distributing them for sale more than 7 years ago.”
Being listed as “obsolete” means that Apple can no longer repair it, and third-party service providers will also not be able to order parts for repairs.
The one exception is battery-only repairs for Mac notebooks, which can be provided for up to 10 years from the last distribution date, pending parts availability.
On the other hand, vintage product is one that Apple stopped distributing for sale “more than 5 years ago and less than 7 years ago.”
It is still perfectly acceptable for Apple parts repair, but the “vintage” designation indicates that parts availability may be limited.
The Newest Additions to the Obsolete and Vintage Lists
Here's the full list of the nine Macs Apple now considers “obsolete”:
- MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, 2TB3)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, 4TB3)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
- MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015)
- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
- iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2015)
- iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, Late 2015)
- iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015)
Best comment by JP23
I remember well the keynote where the Macbook Air Retina was presented in 2018🥲It was so tempting!! Time flies
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These used to be part of the vintage list, but they are no longer eligible for Apple hardware repair.
Also joining the vintage list for the first time are three Mac computers.
- MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, 2TB3)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, 4TB3)
If you have one of the Mac computers on the vintage list and you think you might need repairs, it's best to take care of it as soon as possible.
You can view the full list of obsolete and vintage items here.
