Mac Mini (2018) and iPhone 6s are now considered a vintage device by Apple. This means that, from now on, Apple will no longer offer official repair or support for these models, as they become obsolete within the product life cycle of Apple. The company designates products as vintage when they have been closed from the production line for more than five years.

Apple says that transferring equipment to vintage or category allows it to manage limited availability and repair support of parts. A product marked as vintage also means that it can no longer meet current software and performance standards. But what does the “vintage” label actually mean for users?

What are vintage or obsolete apple devices

In Apple’s vocabulary, a device is classified as a vintage when it is more than five years, but less than seven years have passed because Apple has stopped selling it. In the vintage period of an apple device, the users may still be able to get repair from Apple Store and Apple authorized service providers – but with a significant caviate: the service completely depends on the availability of replacement parts.

Beyond the seven -year mark, Apple converts its products into an obsolete category. At this point, the company denies all hardware servicing, and authorized service centers are no longer able to order parts. For users, this means that if their device is broken or malfunction, repair from Apple may no longer be an option – even if they are ready to pay for them.

What if you own a vintage or obsolete apple device?

If your Apple device is added to the vintage list – as in the case of iPhone 6s or 2018 Mac Mini – you may still be able to repair it. However, since Apple no longer builds parts for these older devices, repair availability is not guaranteed. If any part is no longer in stock at Apple centers, the device cannot be serving by Apple or its authorized centers.

Once a device becomes obsolete, Apple closed all official support for this. This includes repair, part replacement and, in some cases, even safety updates. At that point, users should either look for third-party repair options or consider upgrading to new hardware.

While Apple has highlighted that its devices are designed to receive software updates for five years and software updates for seven, the reality for most users is that infection from vintage to obsolete often indicates the end of practical purpose – especially these products do not get the software updates and new apps are no longer able to handle new apps which are no longer able to handle new app Let’s demand

After stopping getting software updates and safety patch, users are always advised to switch their equipment into new. These updates include significant improvements that protect your devices from malware and other digital hazards.

Therefore, if you are using an iPhone 6s or 2018 Mac mini today, you can probably use the device for basic functions. But if significant components fail, or you rely on the latest app and update, it may be time to consider new options.