A popular iPhone model will soon be joining the company’s vintage product category. iPhone 6 Plus, which kickstarted the fashion of iPhones with large displays, will be classified as a vintage product starting next year. This means that the smartphone has run its complete cycle of production, discontinuation and after-life support.
For those unaware, Apple marks a product as vintage after five years have lapsed post its discontinuation. Such is the case with the iPhone 6 Plus this time, as the device was discontinued in 2016. This is the fifth year running since its discontinuation and hence, iPhone 6 Plus will be eligible for a vintage mark starting next year.
The information has been shared in an internal memo which was seen by MacRumors. As per the memo, Apple will be adding the iPhone 6 Plus to its vintage products list on December 31. But what does this mean for the existing owners of the phone?
Well, software updates for the iPhone 6 series, which comprises iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, has already ended. The last major update which Apple pushed out for the phones was iOS 13, which debuted in 2019. Therefore, there is no change expected on the software part.
As for the hardware repair and maintenance, Apple Stores and Apple authorized service providers may continue to offer repair services for the iPhone 6 Plus up to seven years post discontinuation. This, of course, is subject to the availability of parts, which will become increasingly sparse as time passes.
Apple’s decision, thus, marks an important end to one of the most iconic iPhones ever produced. The iPhone 6 series was launched in September 2014. It came with iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, featuring a 4.7-inch and a 5.5-inch display respectively. This was the first time that Apple had adopted a large screen for its iPhones.
Other than that, the phones featured an Apple A8 chipset and some first-ever features like Apple Pay. The phones took the international markets by storm, as they marked a stark contrast to Steve Jobs’ philosophy of having phones just about big enough to wrap your hands around, and access any area of the screen with just your thumb.
While the iPhone 6 Plus will be added to the vintage list by the end of this month, the iPhone 6 will still enjoy a space in Apple’s regular product category. That is because the vanilla model was sold in some countries, including India, till 2018. Which means it still has two more years left before it joins the list of vintage Apple devices.
