These iPhone Models Are Officially Considered ‘Vintage’ By Apple

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While you’ve likely seen videos of YouTube tech reviewers and influencers unboxing a shiny new iPhone every year days after Apple’s annual fall event, the vast majority of people hold onto their phones for years. Many even refuse to upgrade until their current device either stops getting updates, physically falls apart, or gets damaged beyond use.

Given that Apple releases new iPhones every year in September (and even surprised us with the budget-friendly iPhone 16e in February 2025), the unfortunate truth is these same devices fall out of the spotlight just as quickly as they entered it. Before you know it, they’re no longer the device every other person had on their Christmas wish list. Apple, as over the top as the company is, chooses to go fancy even with how it classifies older products. Instead of simply letting the devices reach their end gracefully by quietly ending software updates once the time comes, like a few companies do, Apple adds devices to the company’s ‘Vintage’ list.

Apple defines products that it stopped distributing for sale more than 5 and less than 7 years ago as vintage. At the time of writing, there are currently 14 models on the Vintage list, with the earliest launch dating back to 2011, and the most recent launch being in 2018.

Read more: 10 Must-Have Smart Home Devices For Your Outdoor Spaces

What exactly is Apple’s ‘Vintage’ list?

A hand holding an iPhone 15 Plus – Marvin Samuel Tolentino Pineda/Getty Images

A product being added to the Vintage list isn’t as big of a problem as it may sound and certainly doesn’t mean your device will stop working or become unusable.

Instead, an Apple device becoming vintage mainly affects its eligibility for official service and support. Apple states that users can obtain service and parts from Apple service providers for at least 5 years from when Apple stopped distributing the product. You may still be able to get your devices serviced or obtain parts from Apple service providers for up to 7 years,…

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