Mac Obsolete Ping!
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Posted on 02/05/2009 8:24:08 AM PST by Swordmaker
On March 17th, the following items will be officially deemed "vintage" or "obsolete" in Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe, Japan, Latin America, the United States and retail Apple Stores. After that date, Apple will not provide service parts or documentation for these products and the items cannot be sent in as Mail-In Repairs to AppleCare Repair Centers. Time to hit your parents up for some new tech, boys and girls.
Here's the "vintage" list:
...and here's the "obsolete" list:
Yup, the G4s are almost done as far as Apple support is concerned.
What's the difference between "vintage" and "obsolete"? It's kind of a legal thing. Service parts for vintage products are only available to repair older Apple products purchased in the state of California, as required by statute.There is no difference between vintage and obsolete products anywhere else.
The "obsolete" list Intro and Discontinue dates:
I think the listing for the PowerBook G4 is too inclusive, given the discontinuation dates of the other models. Ars Technica could not confirm the MacMerc information.
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PowerBook G4...
Sniffle... Im still using mine..
Me 2
Dang it! I guess it’s time to upgrade from the Powerbook G4. Don’t wanna be obsolete.
Where does that leave my little old 2000 “clamshell” iBook?
I’m typing this on an eMac G4 right now. But I don’t see it on the list...
I think that comes under the category of "archeological artifact."
One comment on the threads about this claims that the Powerbook G4 obsolescence only refers to the original TI G4 Powerbook... that may be correct because as I noted, the G4 laptops were not discontinued until 2006. Apple normally does not obsolete anything until it is seven years since introduction. I haven't seen anything official from Apple yet.
Me too. But since I am still using it, I haven’t needed any “spares”. I can always rely on one of the die hards at a local users group to keep me running til I get my newer spiffier model ( and what Wintel product is still useful and kicking butt after 8 years?)
Other categories might be "Relic," "Curio," or "What the hell is THAT?!"
;^)>
Any word on where in here the ol' G4 eMac fits in?
My almost six year old Powerbook G4 is still running strong. It's not my primary laptop anymore but I still use it for websurfing and watching DVD's. Will eventually give it to relatives in Mexico. Apple knows how to build them.
Yeah, I know. I use it for email, surfing and Word, so it continues to work for me. I am so 20th century in this area.
Official hardware support is going bye-bye, and you’ll have to rely on the unofficial hardware support out there.
Part of the price Apple customers pay for being on the cutting edge is that in order to stay there Apple has to stop supporting older hardware at some point. It’s just a choice you make. OTOH, I wonder if Dell will support an old Pentium III they sold back then.
For the operating system, you already got left behind by Tiger. The good news is that you do have an alternative. From what I hear, Ubuntu Linux runs well on the clamshell iBooks.
See my #14.
Wonder how big a role the economy played in this. Must be harder to justify keeping extra hardware supplies around in this environment, especially for older hardware like the G4.
The good news is that relatively recent Apple products can be had used or refurbed for very good prices.
So...my G3 iBooks are no longer relevant? I mean, just cos they have OS9 and 10.0 (for some reason, cannot load 10.3 back onto them) that means Apple no longer cares? Dangit, I knew once they saw that I got the MacBook Pro, they said “yep, blu has upgraded, kill the old ones! Oh, and make sure she can’t put 10.3 or 10.4 on with Leopard...dammit, if she’s gonna be our fangirl, she’s gonna work for it!”
OK, I get it now. Oiy, why do I feel so bereft?
(for the humor impaired, yah, I know my ibooks were obsolete almost the moment I bought them, but still...they’re like my first car (in guy talk))
We can check to see if its on Apple's official lists. Looking down the list of "Vintage products" the eMac is listed. No differentiation as to which model, but I wouldn't say the entire line is obsolete because the last eMac was released on May 3, 2005 and discontinued on October 12, 2005, so that model is less than 5 years old. This list was last updated on December 8, 2008.
I see also that several of the "soon to be obsolete" models from the article that started this thread are already on the vintage list as of December 8, 2008... so that kinda puts the gist of the whole article into question. If they are already obsolete, from where did the author get his list of "soon to be obsolete on March 17, 2009"?
Here is Apple's complete list of "Vintage" and "Obsolete" Products for the US:
Summary
Apple has discontinued support for certain technologically obsolete and vintage products.
Vintage products are those that were discontinued more than five and less than seven years ago. Apple has discontinued hardware service for vintage products with the following exception:
- Products purchased in the state of California, United States, as required by statute. Owners of these products may obtain service and parts from Apple Service Providers within the state of California, United States.
Obsolete products are those that were discontinued more than seven years ago. Apple has discontinued all hardware service for obsolete products with no exceptions. Service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products.
All retail Apple Stores and the Canadian, European, Latin American and Asia-Pacific operating regions follow the U.S. product list, but make no distinction between vintage and obsolete. When applied to the retail Apple Stores and these operating regions, all products on the U.S. Vintage list are considered obsolete.
U.S. Vintage Products
Computers Displays Disk Drives Printers Miscellaneous iBook (14.1 LCD)
iBook (16 VRAM)
iBook (14.1 LCD 16 VRAM)
iBook (FireWire)
iBook (Late 2001)
iBook Special Edition (FireWire)
iBook (14.1 LCD 32 VRAM)
iBook (14.1 LCD 900 MHz 32VRAM)
iBook (32 VRAM)
iBook (800 MHz 32 VRAM)
iBook (900 MHz 32 VRAM)
iBook (Opaque 16 VRAM)
iMac (Early 2001)
iMac (17-inch Flat Panel)
iMac (Flat Panel)
iMac (Flat Panel 2003)
iMac (Summer 2001)
eMac
Macintosh Server G4 (Digital Audio)
Macintosh Server G4 (QuickSilver)
Macintosh Server G4 (Quicksilver 2002)
Macintosh Server G4 (Mirrored Drive Doors)
PowerBook (FireWire)
PowerBook G4
PowerBook G4 (12-inch)
PowerBook G4 (17-inch)
PowerBook G4 (DVI)
PowerBook G4 (Gigabit Ethernet)
PowerBook G4 (1GHz/867MHz)
PowerMac G4 Cube
PowerMac G4 (Digital Audio)
PowerMac G4 (QuickSilver)
PowerMac G4 (QuickSilver 2002)
PowerMac G4 (QuickSilver 2002ED)
PowerMac G4 (FW 800)
PowerMac G4 (Mirrored Drive Doors)
XserveApple Cinema Display ADC
Apple Studio Display 15 ADC
Apple Studio Display 17
Apple Studio Display 17 ADC
Apple Studio Display 17 LCDAirport Base Station (Dual Ethernet)
Airport Extreme Base Station (Early 2003)U.S. Obsolete Products
Computers Displays Disk Drives Printers Miscellaneous Apple Network Server 700/150
Apple II/Apple II Plus
Apple IIe
Apple IIc
Apple IIc Plus
Apple IIgs
Apple III
Apple Network Server 500/132
Apple Network Server 700/200
Apple Workgroup Server 60
Apple Workgroup Server 80
Apple Workgroup Server 95
Apple Workgroup Server 6150
Apple Workgroup Server 6150/66
Apple Workgroup Server 7250/120
Apple Workgroup Server 7350/180
Apple Workgroup Server 8150/9150
Apple Workgroup Server 8550/200
Apple Workgroup Server 9650/233
Apple Workgroup Server 9650/350
Apple Workgroup Server G3
Centris/Quadra 660AV
iBook
iBook (Dual USB)
iBook (Firewire)
iMac 233 MHz
iMac 266/333 MHz
iMac 350 MHz
iMac 400 MHz DV
iMac 400 MHz DV (Special Edition)
iMac (Summer 2000)
iMac (Summer 2000) DV
iMac (Summer 2000) DV Special Edition
iMac (Early 2001)
Macintosh 128K/512K/512Ke
Macintosh Centris 650
Macintosh Centris/Quadra 610
Macintosh Classic
Macintosh Classic II
Macintosh Color Classic/Color Classic II/Performa 275
Macintosh Plus
Macintosh SE
Macintosh SE/30
Macintosh II
Macintosh IIvi
Macintosh IIvx
Macintosh IIx
Macintosh IIcx
Macintosh IIci
Macintosh IIsi
Macintosh IIfx
Macintosh LC
Macintosh LC 475
Macintosh LC II
Macintosh LC III
Macintosh LC 520/550/575/580
Macintosh LC 630 DOS
Macintosh Quadra 605
Macintosh Quadra 630
Macintosh Quadra 650
Macintosh Quadra 700
Macintosh Quadra 800
Macintosh Quadra 840AV
Macintosh Quadra 900/950
Macintosh Quadra/Centris 610
Macintosh Portable
Macintosh Server G3
Macintosh Server G3 (Blue and White)
Macintosh Server G4 (AGP Graphics)
Macintosh Server G4 (Gigabit Ethernet)
Macintosh TV
Macintosh Quadra/Centris 660AV
Performa 636 & 636 w/CD
Performa 200
Performa 400 series
Performa 500 series
Performa 580CD
Performa 600
Performa 630
Performa 630CD
Performa 631CD
Performa 635 w/CD
Performa 637 w/CD
Performa 638 w/CD
Performa 640CD DOS Compatible
Performa 5200CD
Performa 5210CD
Performa 5215CD
Performa 5220CD
Performa 5260/120
Performa 5300CD
Performa 5320CD
Performa 5400/160
Performa 5400/180
Performa 5400CD
Performa 5420CD
Performa 5500
Performa 6300CD
Performa 6320
Performa 6360
Performa 6400/180
Performa 6400/200
Performa 6100 series
Performa 6200
Performa 6205CD
Performa 6210
Performa 6214CD
Performa 6216CD
Performa 6218CD
Performa 6220CD
Performa 6230CD
Performa 6290
Performa 6116 CD
PowerMac G4 (AGP Graphics)
PowerMac G4 (Gigabit Ethernet)
PowerMac G4 (PCI Graphics)
PowerMac G4 Cube
Power Macintosh 4400/200
Power Macintosh 5400/120
Power Macintosh 5400/120 LC
Power Macintosh 5400/180
Power Macintosh 5400/200
Power Macintosh 5500/225
Power Macintosh 5500/250
Power Macintosh 5500/275
Power Macintosh 5200/75
Power Macintosh 5200/75 LC
Power Macintosh 5260/100
Power Macintosh 5260/120
Power Macintosh 5300/100
Power Macintosh 5300LC
Power Macintosh 6100/60 & 6100/60AV
Power Macintosh 6100/66 & 6100/66AV
Power Macintosh 6200 Series
Power Macintosh 6300/120
Power Macintosh 6360/160
Power Macintosh 6400/180
Power Macintosh 6400/200
Power Macintosh 6500/225
Power Macintosh 6500/250
Power Macintosh 6500/275
Power Macintosh 6500/300
Power Macintosh 7200 series
Power Macintosh 7100/66 & 7100/66AV
Power Macintosh 7100/80 & 7100/80AV
Power Macintosh 7200/75
Power Macintosh 7200/90
Power Macintosh 7200/120
Power Macintosh 7300 PC Compatible
Power Macintosh 7300/180
Power Macintosh 7300/200
Power Macintosh 7500/100
Power Macintosh 7600/120
Power Macintosh 7600/132
Power Macintosh 8100/80 & 8100/80AV
Power Macintosh 8100/100 & 8100/100AV
Power Macintosh 8100/110
Power Macintosh 8500/120
Power Macintosh 8500/132
Power Macintosh 8500/150
Power Macintosh 8500/180
Power Macintosh 8500/200
Power Macintosh 8600/200
Power Macintosh 8600/250
Power Macintosh 8600/300
Power Macintosh 9500/120
Power Macintosh 9500/132
Power Macintosh 9500/150
Power Macintosh 9500/180MP
Power Macintosh 9500/200
Power Macintosh 9600/200
Power Macintosh 9600/200MP
Power Macintosh 9600/233
Power Macintosh 9600/300
Power Macintosh 9600/350
Power Macintosh G3 (Blue and White)
Power Macintosh G3 All-In-One
Power Macintosh G3 Desktop
Power Macintosh G3 Minitower
PowerBook 100
PowerBook 140/145/145B/170
PowerBook 150
PowerBook 160/165/180
PowerBook 165c/180c
PowerBook 190
PowerBook 190cs
PowerBook 520
PowerBook 520c
PowerBook 540
PowerBook 540c
PowerBook 1400c
PowerBook 1400cs
PowerBook 1400c/117
PowerBook 1400c/133
PowerBook 1400c/166
PowerBook 1400cs/117
PowerBook 1400cs/133
PowerBook 2400c
PowerBook 3400c/180/200
PowerBook 3400c/240
PowerBook 5300/5300c/5300ce/5300cs
PowerBook Duo Dock
PowerBook Duo Dock II
PowerBook Duo MiniDock
PowerBook Duo 210/230/250/270c/280/280c
PowerBook G3
PowerBook G3 Series
PowerBook G3 (Bronze Keyboard)
PowerBook Duo 2300c
PowerBook Duo Dock Plus
PowerBook (Firewire)
Twentieth Anniversary MacintoshApple Basic Color Monitor
Apple Cinema Display
Apple Color Plus 14-inch Display
Apple High-Res Monochrome Monitor
Apple Macintosh Portrait Display
Apple Monochrome Monitor
Apple Multiple Scan 14 Display
Apple Multiple Scan 15 Display
Apple Multiple Scan 15 AV Display
Apple Multiple Scan 1705 Display
Apple Multiple Scan 17 Display
Apple Multiple Scan 20 Display
Apple Studio Display 15-inch DVI
Apple Studio Display 15-inch Rev A
Apple Studio Display 15-inch Rev B
Apple Studio Display 21
Apple Studio Display
AppleColor Composite Monitor IIc/IIe
AppleColor High-Res RGB Monitor
AppleColor RGB Monitor
AppleVision 750 Display
AppleVision 750 AV Display
AppleVision 850 Display
AppleVision 850 AV Display
AppleVision 1710 Display
AppleVision 1710AV Display
AudioVision 14" Display
ColorMonitor IIc
ColorMonitor IIe
ColorSync 17" Display
ColorSync 20" Display
Flat Panel Display
Macintosh 12" Monochrome Display
Macintosh 12-inch RGB Monitor
Macintosh 21-inch Color Display
Macintosh 16-inch Color Display
Macintosh Color Display
Monitor II/Monochrome Monitor IIe
Monitor IIc
MS 720 Display
Two Page Monochrome Monitor
Performa/Performa Plus Monitors1.44 Apple SuperDrive/HDI-20 Disk Drive
Apple 3.5 Drive
Apple PowerCD
Apple CD300E+
Apple CD600
Apple PC 5.25 Drive
DDS-DC 4mm Tape Drive
Disk II - Disk ///
Disk IIc
DuoDiskTape Backup 40SC
External Hard Drive SC
External SCSI Hard Drive
Macintosh Disk Drive
UniDisk - Apple 5.25 Drive
UniDisk 3.5Apple Color StyleWriter 1500
Apple Color StyleWriter 2400
Apple Color StyleWriter 2500
Apple Color StyleWriter 4500
Apple Color StyleWriter 6500
Apple Color Printer
Apple Color StyleWriter 2200
Apple Color StyleWriter 4100
Apple Color StyleWriter Pro
Apple Personal LaserWriter LS
Apple Personal LaserWriter LS/L
Apple Personal LaserWriter NTR
Apple Personal LaserWriter SC and NT
Laserwriter 12/640 PS
LaserWriter 12/660 PS
LaserWriter 16/600 500 Sheet Feeder
LaserWriter 16/600 PS
LaserWriter 16/600 PS Envelope Feeder
LaserWriter 8500
Apple Portable StyleWriter
Apple StyleWriter
Apple StyleWriter 1200
Apple StyleWriter II
Color LaserWriter 12/600 PS
ImageWriter II/L
ImageWriter LQ
ImageWriter LQ Cut Sheet Feeder
LaserWriter & LaserWriter Plus
LaserWriter IIsc, nt, ntx LaserWriter IIf/IIg
LaserWriter Pro 500 Sheet Feeder
LaserWriter Pro 600/630
LaserWriter Pro 810
LaserWriter Pro Envelope Feeder
LaserWriter Select 300/310
LaserWriter 4/600
LaserWriter Select 360
Personal LaserWriter 300/320AirPort Base Station (Graphite)
Apple Adjustable Keyboard
Apple CD Products
Apple Color OneScanner
Apple Data Modem 2400
Apple Desktop Bus Keyboard
Apple OneScanner
Apple Personal Modem
Apple QuickTake 100
Apple QuickTake 150
Apple QuickTake 200
Apple Standard Keyboard
Apple Standard Keyboard II
AppleDesign Powered Speakers I & II
eMate 300
Extended Keyboard
Extended Keyboard II
GeoPort
Networking Cards and Cables
Newton MessagePad (original)
Newton MessagePad 100/110
Newton MessagePad 120
Newton MessagePad 130
Newton MessagePad 2000
Newton MessagePad 2100
Numeric Keypad
LocalTalk
TechStep and accessories
Other Input Devices
Video Conferencing
MultiMedia products
Power Macintosh 233 MHz Processor Upgrade
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