iPhone X, Original Airpods and HomePod Join Apple’s Vintage Products List

Apple has quietly added three of its old products to its list of products that are now considered “vintage” (via Fast Company). The latest additions include the original AirPods released back in 2016, the iPhone X from 2017, and the original HomePod from 2018.

On its support page for out-of-warranty products, Apple explains that “products are considered vintage when Apple stopped distributing them for sale more than 5 and less than 7 years ago.” In practice, this means that consumers should not expect to receive any software updates going forward, and Apple has already announced that the iPhone X won’t be updated to iOS 18 when it’s released later this fall.

As for repairs for vintage products, service and parts may be obtained for up to 7 years depending on local local laws. After seven years, Apple discontinues all hardware services for products that are then considered “obsolete.”

These three new “vintage” Apple products won’t be leaving the same mark in the history of the company. For example, the original HomePod was criticized as an overpriced and “dumber” alternative to other smart speakers due to Siri’s various limitations.

The iPhone X, which was released 10 years after the release of the original iPhone back in 2017, was a significant update for what remains Apple’s biggest cash cow. This was the first iPhone to ditch the Home button for an all-glass front, except for the infamous notch at the top. The removal of the Touch ID sensor also led to the introduction of Face ID, and Apple also had to change how to navigate across iOS with new swipe gestures.

Apple’s first-generation AirPods received praise for their seamless pairing experience and ability to easily switch from listening to one Apple device to another. AirPods have now become an important contributor to the company’s accessories business, even though the company is quite slow to iterate. As an example, only the 2nd gen AirPods Pro come with a USB-C charging case while other AirPods models still use Apple’s outdated Lightning port for charging.