TWO beloved iPhone models have been doomed to Apple’s dreaded “vintage list” and affected users must be careful going forward.
Tech companies routinely discontinue products after so many years to make way for shiny new gadgets.
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Apple downgrades its older devices into a vintage category before becoming totally obsolete.
When a device falls into the vintage category it means repairs can become quite difficult.
The definition is important for Apple fans, as once your iPhone enters the vintage stage getting it repaired can become tricky.
While these devices are still eligible for repair, it is based on the availability of parts which will soon run out.
Apple defines iPhones and other products as vintage when sales were stopped more than five years ago but less than seven years ago.
After seven years, they become obsolete resulting in no hardware service at all.
The latest additions to the vintage list are the iPhone 7 Plus and the iPhone 8.
These were announced way back in September 2016 and September 2017 respectively.
The iPhone 8 was notable for being the last flagship iPhone to feature the home button and Touch ID, before it was axed entirely for Face ID on the iPhone X.
Apple’s list currently only lists the 64GB and 256GB versions of the iPhone 8 as vintage, but the 128GB version isn’t.
The (PRODUCT)RED versions of the iPhone 8 were already on the vintage list.
Elsewhere, Apple bumped the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 2 from vintage to obsolete in its latest update.
Here is the full list of “vintage” iPhones as it now stands:
- iPhone 4 (8GB)
- iPhone 5
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone SE
- iPhone 8 (64GB, 256GB)
- iPhone 8 Red
- iPhone 8 Plus Red
- iPhone X
And these are the iPhones that are obsolete:
- iPhone
- iPhone 3G (China mainland) 8GB
- iPhone 3G 8GB, 16GB
- iPhone 3GS (China mainland) 16GB, 32GB
- iPhone 3GS (8GB)
- iPhone 3GS 16GB, 32GB
- iPhone 4 CDMA
- iPhone 4 CDMA (8GB)
- iPhone 4 16GB, 32GB
- iPhone 4 GSM (8GB), Black
- iPhone 4S
- iPhone 4S (8GB)
- iPhone 5C
- iPhone 5S
- iPhone 6 Plus
- iPhone 6s (32GB)
- iPhone 6s Plus (32GB)
Time to upgrade?
Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
If you own an affected device you only really have two choices.
Fix any issues you’re aware of now while parts are still available – but bear in mind that the cost to get this repair may not be worth it compared to the value of your smartphone today.
Or, upgrade.
Of course, upgrading to a brand new phone is expensive but it may cost you less in the long run compared to repairs, especially as your current phone will be more prone to further breakages and is likely to go completely kaput soon.
