It’s the end of the road for these two iPhone models

By Patrick Hearn Published November 18, 2024

Apple iPhone 6S Plus — Jessica Lee Star / Digital Trends

Seeing your favorite handheld gaming device in a retro store has a unique way of making you feel old, but Apple might have topped it. According to the company, the iPhone XS Max and iPhone 6s Plus are now “vintage.” They join the ranks of the iPhone 4 and even the iPad Pro 12.9-inch model.

It’s not wholly unexpected. Apple declares a device vintage after five years, and that means it becomes more difficult to have that device repaired or to find replacement parts for it. Obsolete is applied to products that are more than seven years old, but sometimes certain variants get that label early.

Recommended Videos

As spotted by MacRumors, the iPhone 6S Plus with 32GB is already considered obsolete. Once a device is considered obsolete, Apple will no longer provide repair services or software updates. The iPhone 6S Plus launched in 2015, so it clung to life longer than most phones.

iPhone XS Max — The Apple iPhone XS Max Julian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

The Apple Watch 2 just passed the seven-year mark, which means it is now considered obsolete. While you could still get repairs performed from third-party shops, Apple has washed its hands of the device.

So, if you’re still using a much older Apple device that isn’t yet obsolete and it needs a tune-up, start looking around for a place to get it fixed it now. Once it becomes obsolete, it will be much harder to repair. In fact, now is a good time to consider shopping for an upgrade; the capabilities of the iPhone have changed so much in recent years that anyone with a model that’s more than five years old is missing out on some of the most interesting features to come to Apple devices in a long time. Lucky for you, there’s lots to choose from when shopping for the best iPhone in 2024.

Sure, you can do a lot of repairs yourself, but Apple isn’t known for being friendly to DIYers. It wasn’t until 2021 that Apple eased up on its restrictions and began to “allow” people to repair their own phones.

It’s worth noting that the seven-year limit doesn’t apply to MacBooks. Certain models are eligible for battery replacements and other repairs for up to 10 years, although it’s on a product-by-product basis.

Former Technology Writer

Patrick has written about tech for more than 15 years and isn't slowing down anytime soon. With previous clients ranging from…

Topics

Phones

Galaxy Z Fold 8: Everything we know

Samsung's boldest foldable redesign yet is now official, with a lighter build, a genuinely useful cover screen, and pricing that undercuts the pricier Fold 8 Ultra.

Symbol, Electronics, Mobile Phone

For most of its existence, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold has solved one problem while creating another. The book-style foldable has let buyers carry a tablet-sized screen in their pocket without actually carrying a tablet. But, through no fault of its own, that came at the cost of a cover screen so tall and narrow that using it one-handed felt unnatural and uncomfortable.

Viewing content on the inner screen came with giant black bars at the top and bottom, too. Samsung has now fixed that with the Galaxy Z Fold 8, and it's official: shorter, wider, passport-shaped, and a cover screen you can actually type on without contorting your fingers.

Phones

Samsung’s next tracker may look better while becoming harder to actually attach

Samsung may redesign the SmartTag right into an AirTag annoyance

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 in Black and White variants

Samsung appears ready to redesign its Galaxy SmartTag again. This time, the makeover could come at the expense of one of the SmartTag 2’s most practical advantages. SamMobile's latest report has shared the supposed design of the upcoming Galaxy SmartTag 3.

The smart tracker can be seen with a compact squircle-shaped body that resembles Samsung's recent One UI icons and the shape used around newer Galaxy Watch displays. In comparison, the current SmartTag 2 looks a lot different, with a longer pill-shaped body dominated by a big integrated loop at one end. The leaked SmartTag 3 diagram does away with that loop entirely.

Phones

Tecno shows off a bezel-less concept phone that looks achingly breathtaking

Tecno's bezel-free phone could be revealed at IFA 2026 in September.

Tecno camon bezel free concept phone.

Say what you will about bezel-less phones, how bad they are for typing, and how they are a glorified ergonomics nightmare, but you can't deny their charm. For over a decade, smartphone makers have made numerous attempts to reduce or eliminate those black borders. The likes of Vivo went with a sloping screen, while others like the ill-fated Essential and Xiaomi just kept trimming the sides. Apple and Samsung followed in their footsteps, but neither of them has tried anything too audacious lately.

Tecno, it seems, wants to go bezel-less without any tricks. The brand just released a short teaser video showing its "next-gen bezelless concept phone." It's a concept phone, so keep that designation in mind. The brand hasn't said when this phone will be officially showcased, or launched, but IFA 2026 is our best bet. As for the device itself, it just looks stunning, and rumors also suggest that the bezel race will be white hot in 2027.