Apple Just Labeled Nine Mac Models ‘Obsolete’

Consumer technology is getting pretty darn good—so good, in fact, that there are fewer and fewer reasons to upgrade to something new. Many of us hold onto on devices for longer than we ever have, and the Mac is no exception: Apple's computers not only hold their value well, they genuinely last years (ignoring any critical hardware failures). If you buy a Mac today, you might not feel the need to upgrade for a very long time.

And yet, it still might come as a shock once Apple itself decides your Mac is too old for this world. That's the impression you may get reading today's tech headlines: Apple labeled nine of its Macs as "obsolete," and another three as "vintage." The thing is, just because Apple's says a Mac is obsolete, that doesn't mean it's actually obsolete. (Nor does a "vintage" Mac mean you'll look like a hipster walking around with one.)

Which Macs are now obsolete?

These nine Macs are now considered obsolete, according to Apple:

• MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)

• MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015)

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, 2 Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, 4 Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

• MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)

• MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015)

• iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2015)

• iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, Late 2015)

• iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015)

And the following three Macs are now "vintage:"

• MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, 2 Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, 4 Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

These Macs join a long list of vintage and obsolete machines running all the way back to the Apple I. But just because your 2016 Mac shares the same list as a computer from 1976, that doesn't mean it's time to retire it.

What does "obsolete" and "vintage" even mean?

If you have one of these Macs, it isn't going to stop working just because Apple calls it obsolete. It's entirely possible your Mac still runs great, and will keep running as intended for a while longer. (It's also possible your Mac isn't running like it used to, and, well, that's OK, too.)

"Vintage" and "obsolete" are simply categories Apple uses for servicing Macs. Apple considers a product to be vintage when it first started selling the product more than five years ago, but less than seven years ago. That means that at any point in that five to seven year range, Apple could label the product as vintage. At that time, Apple no longer guarantees hardware support, and may drop software support as well. While it won't turn away all vintage products, don't be surprised if they say they can't help you with your 2018 MacBook Air.

"Vintage" products eventually become "obsolete," which basically means Apple will no longer service the device. While a vintage device may get some help at the genius bar, they won't be able to help with your late 2015 iMac. You can learn more about this system from our full article here.

In short, don't listen to the marketing lingo: If your "vintage" or "obsolete" Mac still works for you, keep using it. If it breaks, however, just know Apple may not be able to help you, so you might be better off with a third-party repair option.