A well-known iPhone is preparing to become "vintage", but which one is it, what does it mean and what does this definition imply for Apple?
An indiscretion sheds light on Apple's next iPhone that will extend the list of products considered "vintage". There's nothing official yet, but logic supports the indiscretion brought forward by the rumor, so it's worth knowing which iPhone it is and what the label "vintage" implies for Apple.
Vintage and obsolete are two common definitions in our society, and they are also among the policies of the giant of Cupertino, which, however, defines each of them in a very clear way. No surprise, then, at the moment when iPhone 6 Plus, the smartphone in question, will become vintage, it is said from January 1, 2022. For him it is not yet time to enter the list of obsolete iPhones, which to tell the truth is not too extensive as well as that of the iPhones considered vintage. Curious that iPhone 6 "standard", the one with the 4.7-inch display, is still far from the vintage label, but there is an explanation for this too.
iPhone 6 Plus is almost vintage, iPhone 6 no
It is not yet official, but according to rumors iPhone 6 Plus at the end of this month - which is also the end of the year - will be included in the list of iPhones considered vintage. Currently the vintage iPhones are: some iPhone 4 and iPhone 4s, iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c, while it will also enter the list iPhone 6 from January 1, 2022.
The iPhone 6 range was announced on September 19, 2014. The last major update for the iPhone 6 range was in 2019, when iOS 13 was released. Apple guarantees for each of its smartphones five years of updates from the moment of officialization, and as a result, the iPhone 6 range has benefited from this service until 2019.
The reason why iPhone 6 will not become vintage from January 1, 2022, unlike the Plus variant with a larger screen, is related to the fact that it has been sold longer. iPhone 6 Plus disappeared from Apple's worldwide listings in 2016, while the marketing of "standard" iPhone 6 went on in some regions of the world until 2018, so logically, it should join the vintage list in 2023.
Vintage and obsolete, what's the difference
Normally with "vintage" we indicate objects dating back to about twenty years before during which they became a cult, either because they were made with high quality materials (this is for example the case of a fine wine), or because they left a mark in the collective imagination to be considered, decades later, precious and inimitable.
In technological field, specifically for Apple, it is vintage a product whose distribution has been interrupted by Apple for more than five years but less than seven. Exceeded this threshold, therefore beyond seven years, the product - always for Apple - is considered obsolete.
When a device is labeled by Apple as obsolete, hardware assistance is interrupted, and official or authorized repair centers cannot order spare parts simply because they are no longer produced, so they won't be able to get them even with the recently announced "do-it-yourself" program.
Currently obsolete iPhones are: first generation iPhone, 3G and 3GS, along with some iPhone 4 and 4s.