Apple has quietly updated its list of vintage and obsolete products, a routine move that nonetheless carries important consequences for owners of older devices. This time, two well-known iPhone models have reached vintage status, meaning they’re one step closer to losing all official repair support.
iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 (64GB/256GB) join the vintage list
The iPhone 7 Plus and certain iPhone 8 models have now been classified as vintage, marking the end of a repair guarantee window for these devices. In Apple’s terms, a product becomes vintage once it hasn’t been sold for more than five but less than seven years. After that, part availability is no longer guaranteed.
This change affects all iPhone 7 Plus units and only the 64GB and 256GB versions of the iPhone 8, as well as specific PRODUCT(RED) editions. Interestingly, the 128GB iPhone 8 and other color variants of the iPhone 8 Plus remain outside the vintage list—for now.
iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 2 become obsolete
Alongside the iPhone updates, Apple has moved the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 2 to the obsolete category, which means official repair services for these tablets are no longer available. This applies globally and includes both Apple Stores and Authorized Service Providers.
Devices on the obsolete list have surpassed the seven-year mark since their last sale. At this point, Apple completely halts all hardware support, making repairs possible only through third parties—often at a higher cost or with non-original parts.
What this means for users
While vintage status doesn’t instantly disable support, users should prepare for increasingly limited repair options. For those still using these models, it may be time to consider an upgrade before full obsolescence hits.