Apple declares the iPhone XS Max and iPhone 6s Plus are now ‘vintage’ products – here’s what that means
- The iPhone XS Max and iPhone 6s Plus are now ‘vintage’
- Apple also labels the Apple Watch 2 as obsolete
- These statuses affect whether or not you can get repairs
Apple has just done some reorganizing of its vintage and obsolete products list, and the iPhone XS Max (launched in 2018) and iPhone 6s Plus (launched in 2015) are now both officially labeled as ‘vintage’ gadgets.
The changes were spotted by MacRumors, and are a normal part of the lifecycle of an Apple product. A device becomes vintage when more than five years have passed since it was last sold as new by Apple.
Before that five years passes, you can always get repairs and replacement parts from Apple and authorized repair stores. Once a product is vintage though, you may or may not be able to get repairs or parts – it depends on stock levels and what the issue is.
Exact timings on vintage status can vary, and it’s worth noting that the iPhone 6s Plus with 32GB of storage is already categorized as obsolete (the next stage past vintage). Once Apple updates its lists though, it’s official as far as product status goes.
Not just vintage – obsolete
Another update to Apple’s list is that the aluminum and stainless steel Apple Watch 2 models are now obsolete. A gadget becomes obsolete when it’s been more than seven years since it was last sold as new by Apple.
Past that point, you can’t get repairs from Apple or its authorized partners, and new parts can’t be ordered. The only exception to the rule is some MacBooks, which are eligible for battery replacements for up to 10 years in certain cases.
You can certainly try and get an obsolete product repaired, but you’ll have to go somewhere other than Apple – and once you hit the seven-year mark, it’s probably worth thinking about investing in an upgrade anyway.
For now, the Apple Watch 2 with the ceramic casing clings on to its vintage status, so it’s not yet obsolete – but if you’re still wearing the smartwatch, which launched in 2016, you’d be best getting any necessary repairs sorted sooner rather than later.