Apple says these products — including one from 2017 — are 'vintage': What that means
Time to check your device: Apple just labeled three of its products — all unveiled in 2016 or 2017 — as vintage and on track to be obsolete.
(NEXSTAR) — When you hear the term "vintage," your mind may conjure up images of older items, like a rotary phone or maybe a first-generation iPhone (one of which sold for about 380 times its original price last year).
You may not, however, consider the iPhone you're reading this on or the AirPods you're wearing right now to be vintage.
Spoiler alert: They just might be.
Apple recently reclassified three of its products — all unveiled in 2016 or 2017 — as vintage and on track to becoming obsolete.
First reported by MacRumors, the devices include the iPhone X, the original HomePod, and the original AirPods. The latter was released in 2016, while the iPhone X came out in 2017 and the HomePod in 2018.
While Apple says its "products are designed to be long-lasting," it considers items it has stopped distributing for sale "more than 5 and less than 7 years ago" to be vintage. During this time frame, Apple service providers may continue to provide parts and service on the vintage products.
iPhone X is currently the seventh vintage iPhone while the 1st-generation HomePod and AirPods are the only vintage models of their class.
Not sure what model your device is? On your iPhone, you can check in the Settings app, under General, then About. First-generation AirPods have model numbers A1523 or A1722 (found on the AirPods themselves or by going into Settings on your phone, then tapping on your AirPods under Bluetooth).
In a few years, these products will, like all those before them, become "technologically-obsolete." This means Apple ends all hardware service for these products, and parts can no longer be ordered for them by service providers.
Most first-generation products, including the original iPods and Mac desktops, are considered obsolete. Popular products in the vintage stage include the 4th-generation iPod touch, iPhone SE, and various Beats models.
Being dubbed a vintage or obsolete doesn't mean your device is unusable. But it could be more difficult to have the product fixed or serviced. You may also miss out on the latest updates. The iPhone X, for example, won't be able to download the next major iOS update when it is released later this year. (It's worth noting the iPhone X couldn't get the last iOS update either).