Apple now considers this 'popular' iPhone and Mac vintage products

Apple

Apple has officially added the iPhone 6s and 2018 Mac mini to its vintage products list—marking the beginning of the end for official support and service for these once-popular devices.

The iPhone 6s debuted back in 2015, but Apple continued selling it as a budget option until 2018. That’s why it’s only now crossing the five-year threshold required to be classified as vintage. Despite its age, the iPhone 6s was packed with firsts: it introduced 3D Touch, shipped with the A9 chip, and—nostalgically—was the last flagship iPhone to feature a headphone jack. It also had a reinforced chassis that fixed the infamous “bendgate” issue from the iPhone 6 era.

Joining the iPhone 6s in the vintage vault is the 2018 Mac mini, the final version of the compact desktop before Apple began its shift to Apple Silicon. This Intel-powered Mac mini featured “Coffee Lake” CPUs with up to six cores and came with Intel UHD Graphics 630. It was a fan favorite among users who valued a customizable, small-form-factor Mac.

Vintage and obsolete Apple products

But what does being labeled “vintage” actually mean? According to Apple, vintage products are those that were discontinued between five and seven years ago. They no longer receive regular software updates, and while service is still possible, it’s limited—and parts availability is not guaranteed. Once a product hits the seven-year mark, it becomes obsolete, meaning Apple — and even most authorized repair shops — will no longer support repairs or part replacements at all.

So while your iPhone 6s or 2018 Mac mini won’t suddenly stop working, its future is less assured. If you’re still holding onto either device, now might be the time to back up your data and consider a much overdue upgrade.