Apple has updated its list of vintage and obsolete products, adding several older devices, including the 13-inch MacBook Air (2017), iPad Mini 4, and the Apple TV HD (32GB) variant. This means some of these devices will receive limited-service support at official stores, while others will no longer be eligible for servicing at all.
The recent update classified the MacBook Air (2017) as a “vintage” product. This means the laptop will still be eligible for repairs at Apple Stores and authorised service providers, but only if replacement parts are available. The 2017 model holds significance as the last MacBook Air released before Apple introduced a redesigned version with a Retina display in 2018.
Alongside this, Apple has moved the iPad Mini 4 and Apple TV HD (32GB) to its “obsolete” category. Devices under this classification are no longer eligible for repairs or servicing through official Apple channels. The iPad Mini 4 was originally launched in 2015 and discontinued in 2019, while the Apple TV HD debuted the same year and was discontinued in October 2022 following the arrival of the third-generation Apple TV 4K.
Notably, only the 32GB variant of the Apple TV HD has been marked obsolete so far.
According to Apple, a product is classified as “vintage” once it crosses the timeline of more than five years since the device was discontinued. Now, if that period extends beyond seven years, the device is then categorised as “obsolete.”
Apple, from time to time, adds its older devices to the vintage or obsolete category. Last month, the Cupertino-based tech giant put the fourteen-year-old iPhone 4 on obsolete lists. It was launched in 2011 and discontinued in 2013.
Similarly, Apple has also moved the iPhone 5 to the obsolete category. The smartphone was originally introduced in 2012 and discontinued a year later. It was added to the vintage list in 2018, and last month, the company officially ended all service support for the device.
For context, the 13-inch MacBook Air (2017) is known for its lightweight design, weighing around 1.35kg, and is rated to deliver up to 12 hours of battery life on a single charge. It features a 13.3-inch display. It is powered by a 5th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, paired with 8GB of LPDDR3 RAM and up to 512GB of SSD storage.
The laptop comes equipped with Intel HD Graphics 6000 and runs on macOS. It includes a full-size backlit keyboard, a multi-touch trackpad, and stereo speakers for audio.
