APPLE has added a number of popular gadgets onto its doomed “obsolete” and “vintage” list of dying devices.
Owning and using one of the products in question can be a real headache, so those affected might want to consider upgrading now.
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The tech giant routinely adds older kit onto the two lists after so many years.
Apple declares a gadget “vintage” five years after it was last distributed for sale.
And after seven years, it moves to the dreaded “obsolete” list.
This is a particular problem because all hardware services are discontinued and replacement parts can’t be ordered either, making it near impossible to repair damages.
In the latest update to the lists, a number of iPhone, iPad, Mac and iPod models have been added.
Where iPods are concerned, it means the final farewell for two models: the iPod Nano and the iPod Shuffle.
For iPhone, it’s goodbye for the main iPhone 6 – the larger iPhone 6 Plus was made obsolete back in April.
See the full list of obsolete products added to the list below.
- iPhone 6
- iPod Nano (7th generation)
- iPod Shuffle (4th generation)
As for the vintage list, it’s nearing the end of the line for one iPad model and one MacBook.
This includes the base iPad, sixth generation, which was released in 2018.
And the MacBook that’s considered vintage is the 12-inch 2017 version.
Here is the full list of obsolete iPhones you need to be aware of:
- 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
- iPhone 6 Plus
- iPhone 6s (32GB)
- iPhone 6s Plus (32GB)
And here is the full list of “vintage” iPhones to be aware of:
- iPhone 4 (8GB)
- iPhone 5
- iPhone SE
- iPhone 8 Red
- iPhone 8 Plus Red
- iPhone X
Time to upgrade?
Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
The gadgets listed above have all long been discontinued so you can no longer buy them.
Due to their age, they won’t be eligible for free iOS upgrades either.
Given these include important security updates, you should have already moved on to keep the contents of your phone safe.
It’s annoying to have to buy a new smartphone – especially when they don’t come cheap – but now you won’t even be able to get it repaired.
The safest option is to upgrade to a newer handset.