Apple has added two iPhone models to its vintage product list including the iPhone Xs Max from 2018 and iPhone 6s Plus from 2015, and has also added some Apple Watch models to its obsolete product list as noted by Joe Rossignol from MacRumors.
How does Apple classify a product as “Vintage”?
According to Apple, “Products are considered vintage when Apple stopped distributing them for sale more than 5 and less than 7 years ago.”
Considering that both 2015 and 2018 iPhone models were added to the vintage list at the same time, it’s clear that the iPhone 6s Plus was sold for a longer period of time compared to the iPhone Xs Max. This could be due to changes in the iPhone Lineup. Apple started introducing three iPhone models in 2017 with the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. A year later, when they introduced the iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max, and iPhone XR, they discontinued the iPhone X. The following year, the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max launched, and the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max were discontinued, while only the iPhone XR stayed in the lineup as a cheaper option. This means that the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max were sold by Apple in brand-new condition only for a year. The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus on the other hand were sold brand new by Apple from September 2015 to September 2018.
The regular-sized iPhone Xs and iPhone 6s have still not made it to this list yet, but we can expect it soon. However, the iPhone 6s (32GB) and iPhone 6s Plus (32GB) have already been previously added to Apple’s obsolete product list.
The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus were initially launched with 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB Storage options in 2015. However, Apple introduced a new 32GB variant for the 6s series alongside the iPhone 7 launch in 2016.
According to Apple, “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.”
Apple now also considers the Apple Watch Series 2 models with aluminum and stainless steel to be obsolete, but not the models with Ceramic yet.
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