Apple adds iPhone 11 Pro Max and Apple Watch Series 3 to ‘Vintage’ list

Apple has officially designated the iPhone 11 Pro Max and Apple Watch Series 3 as vintage products. This move highlights the tech company’s ongoing strategy to streamline its focus on newer devices. Interestingly, the iPhone 11 Pro remains outside this classification and continues to receive support in terms of parts and services. Launched in September 2019, the iPhone 11 Pro Max has now been added to Apple's vintage list, although it still supports the latest iOS 26 software—minus the advanced Apple Intelligence features. Both the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max were discontinued in October 2020, just following the introduction of the iPhone 12 series. On the other hand, the Apple Watch Series 3, which debuted in September 2017, was available for purchase on the company’s website until September 2022. This latest addition marks the second instance of Apple updating its vintage list after the recent launch of the iPhone 17, which also saw three MacBook versions and the iPhone 8 Plus models classified similarly. Apple’s practice of designating devices as vintage is part of its effort to manage its supply chain effectively while prioritizing newer products. By doing so, the company signals to its users that they may need to consider upgrading their devices, as support for vintage items is limited. According to Apple, a product is labeled as vintage if it has not been sold for more than five years but less than seven years. Although not classified as obsolete, products on the vintage list receive restricted hardware support, and repairs are generally not conducted at Apple Stores or by authorized service providers. While these vintage devices will continue functioning, official repair options will only be available until existing parts are depleted, after which support will be withdrawn. For those interested, details surrounding the expected price, features, and launch timeline for the iPhone 17, including the Pro and Pro Max models, are anticipated soon.