Nine Macs from 2015 and 2016 are now officially classified as obsolete, meaning Apple will not service them -- while another three hang on under the label of vintage.
The first MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is now obsolete.
Just as it does with the HomePod and AirPods, Apple maintains a list of vintage and obsolete Macs. With some exceptions in certain countries, a vintage device is one that Apple stopped selling more than five years ago, and less than seven.
The obsolete list, then, is anything it ceased to make and sell seven years ago. There's a significant difference, too, because it's a little hard to find parts for a vintage Mac -- and Apple will not touch obsolete ones.
The latest Macs to be reclassified as obsolete are all from 2015 and 2016. They are:
- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
- MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, 2 Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, 4 Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
- MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015)
- iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2015)
- iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, Late 2015)
- iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015)
Significantly, the list includes the MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, 2 Thunderbolt 3 Ports. That was Apple's first MacBook Pro to come with a Touch Bar display above the keyboard.
At the same time as classifying these nine Macs as obsolete, Apple has moved three more into its vintage list. As first spotted by MacRumors, those are:
- MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, 2 Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, 4 Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
Consequently, if you have one of these now vintage models and need to have some repair work done on them, the clock is now ticking. You have two years to get it repaired, or at least you do by Apple.
All of these Macs, though, are Intel-based ones. The move to Apple Silicon has brought dramatic speed improvements.
So it may or may not be more economical to buy a new Apple Silicon Mac, but it will for certain be the better buy.