Yesterday, Apple added three of the following Mac models to its vintage product list:
- MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, 2 Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, 4 Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
Interestingly, the third model on the list is still able to run the latest major release of macOS (Sequoia), and since it introduced the T2 Security chip, it’s been able to support iPhone Mirroring. However, it won’t support Apple Intelligence as that feature requires a Mac with Apple Silicon. Since that model is one of the earliest Mac models that support macOS Sequoia, it’s likely that that machine will be dropped for next year’s major release of macOS.
Additionally, Apple moved nine more Macs from its vintage product lists to its obsolete product list. Those models are:
- MacBook (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2016)
- MacBook (13-inch, Early 2015)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, 2 Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, 4 Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
- MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015)
- iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2015)
- iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, Late 2015)
- iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015)
By definition, Apple declares a product as “vintage” once at least five years have elapsed since the company stopped distributing it for sale. Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers may offer repairs for vintage products for up to two more years, but that’ll depend on whether those repair parts are available for the said product.
On the other hand, a product is declared “obsolete” once at least seven years have elapsed since the company halted distributing it for sale. So repairs for obsolete products aren’t guaranteed by Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers; however, you may be able to get a battery replacement within the ten-year period after the device’s last distribution date.
So far, all (but one) of the earliest Intel-based Macs that support macOS Sequoia haven’t been marked as vintage, but I do expect more of those Macs to be marked as so within the next year or so.
