Quick Summary
Apple has added a new batch of devices to its "vintage" and "obsolete" lists, including the iPad mini 4 and iPhone 6.
That means it no longer technically supports them them with official replacement parts or software updates.
You might not have realised it, but Apple maintains a public list of the devices it no longer supports, putting them in a couple of quaint categories.
The two labels it gives to older products are "vintage" and the blunter "obsolete", and it's just added some new (old) devices to both lists.
According to Apple's own wording: "Products are considered vintage when Apple stopped distributing them for sale more than five and less than seven years ago."
Well, that's a label that recently started to apply to the iPad Mini 4, which as a result can now be found on the vintage list.
By contrast, Apple says that devices are obsolete "when Apple stopped distributing them for sale more than 7 years ago".
That, in turn, now applies to the iPhone 6 Plus, meaning it's on that list, too – although interestingly the standard iPhone 6 remains merely vintage.
This is because the standard iPhone 6 remained on sale for a little longer than its plus-sized equivalent, becoming a lower-cost alternative that remained fairly popular for a while, as happens to most mainline iPhones.
Upgrade to smarter living
Get the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products straight to your inbox.
These devices uniformly haven't had any software support for years now, meaning they're stuck on older versions of iOS and iPadOS, so anyone still using them doubtless wouldn't be surprised to learn they're on the way out.
Still, it's a useful reminder that you can always check the status of Apple's own list of now-defunct products to see what's on there.
Of course, this does also have an actual practical outcome – the list lets you know whether your device will be able to be officially serviced and repaired, regardless of warranty, as it determines whether Apple still keeps the parts and processes in question up to date.
So, if you're an iPhone 6 Plus user, as unlikely as that might be, you might now need to go to a third-party repair shop after reaching out to Apple, since your phone is now on the chopping block.
A phone becoming harder to repair is never good news, although you probably do have to waive the outrage when the model in question is nearly a decade old.
Maybe it's time to look for a new iPhone or iPad instead.
Max is T3's Staff Writer for the Tech section – with years of experience reporting on tech and entertainment. He's also a gaming expert, both with the games themselves and in testing accessories and consoles, having previously flexed that expertise at Pocket-lint as a features editor.
-
Technogym launch adjustable dumbbells with a hidden secret to make your workouts smart
Train smarter with the new 'Connected Dumbbells'
By Bryony Firth-Bernard Published
-
Google Pixel 9a tipped for a camera change you might find surprising
Details on the Google Pixel 9a camera might not be what you expect
By Chris Hall Published
-
These dummies allegedly show the iPhone 4 SE – and there's a big surprise
Could Apple be working on two different versions of the iPhone SE 4?
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
I tried the iPhone 16 Pro on safari – now I want one for the huge camera upgrade
The iPhone 16 Pro's zoom boost is a game-changer
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
Apple’s now delivering big discounts on its best iPads
The fastest M1 iPad Pro and Air models are now appearing in the Apple refurb store
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
iPhone 17 Pro and entire iPhone 18 series tipped for a very important upgrade
The next iPhone Pro / Pro Max is expected to boost speeds through extra RAM
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
All-new Apple iPad mini 7 gets a surprise announcement – pre-orders now open
Apple isn't waiting for its next event to give us the news we've been waiting for
By Rik Henderson Published
-
This iPhone SE 4 feature may be missing in action
The iPhone SE 4 may resemble the most recent iPhones, but it looks like it'll be lacking one key feature
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
Your iPhone could soon be the perfect partner for sports events, gigs and shows
Digital concert tickets could soon include everything from playlists to the location of your pals
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
Apple’s slowing down its schedule for everything other than iPhones, says insider
The iPhone will remain an annual upgrade, but a new report says Apple plans to slow down its release schedule from 2025
By Carrie Marshall Published