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Apple Moves 2017 13-Inch MacBook Pro to Vintage, Declares iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 2 Obsolete

The change reduces access to Apple-authorized repairs for these aging devices.

Overview

  • Apple updated its vintage and obsolete list Tuesday, shifting the 2017 13-inch MacBook Pro with two Thunderbolt 3 ports to vintage and placing the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 2 on the obsolete list.
  • Apple labels products vintage after more than five but fewer than seven years off the market, which allows limited repairs only if parts are still available.
  • Obsolete status follows more than seven years since last sale, which ends all Apple and authorized service provider hardware repairs and blocks orders for genuine parts.
  • Owners of the newly obsolete iPads will need third-party repair shops or used parts for fixes, so backing up data and weighing replacement costs becomes more important.
  • This is part of Apple’s routine lifecycle updates in March that also saw older iPhones designated obsolete, signaling a steady phase-out of service for long-discontinued models.