Apple today added the iPhone 6 to its list of vintage and obsolete products. Apple adds products to its vintage list when it has been more than five years since the device was last offered for sale.
This makes it a bit odd that the iPhone 6 has been added to the list, as it was released in September 2014 alongside the iPhone 6 Plus. It was then sold in 2015 as a lower-cost option following the launch of the iPhone 6s and was finally discontinued in 2016 following the launch of the iPhone 7. It was then released as a low-cost iPhone option in certain countries in 2017, continuing to be sold until September 2018.
The iPhone 6 Plus, the sister phone to the iPhone 6, was added to the vintage list earlier this year.
Apple also moved the 2012 iPod nano 7 and the fifth-generation iPod touch from the vintage list to the obsolete list, while the 2015 iPod nano models are now marked as vintage. The fourth-generation iPod shuffle from 2012 was moved to the obsolete list, and the 2015 version is now marked as vintage.
What’s Vintage, and What’s Obsolete?
Apple’s website explains the difference:
Vintage products are those that have not been manufactured for more than 5 and less than 7 years ago. Apple has discontinued hardware service for vintage products with the following exceptions:
- Mac products purchased in the country of Turkey. Owners of vintage Mac products may obtain service and parts from Apple service providers within the country of Turkey.
- Products purchased in the state of California, United States, as required by statute
- Owners of vintage Mac products may obtain service and parts from Apple service providers within the state of California, United States.
- Owners of vintage iPod products in the state of California may obtain service from Apple Retail Stores or by contacting AppleCare at 1-800-APL-CARE.
- Owners of vintage iPhone products in the state of California may obtain service from Apple Retail Stores or by contacting AppleCare at 1-800-APL-CARE.
For products purchased in France, see Statutory Warranties of Seller and Spare Parts.
Obsolete products are those that were discontinued more than 7 years ago. Monster-branded Beats products are considered obsolete regardless of when they were purchased. Apple has discontinued all hardware service for obsolete products with no exceptions. Service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products. All Apple Retail Stores and the Canadian, European, Latin American, and Asia-Pacific operating regions follow the U.S. product list, but make no distinction between vintage and obsolete. When applied to Apple Retail Stores and these operating regions, products on the U.S. vintage list (all models) are considered obsolete.
