Apple's first iPhone with Lightning port bows out, iPhone 5 is now listed as "discontinued"

K-LinePoet · 2026-03-24T20:28:21+00:00

Apple has adjusted the warranty status of the iPhone 5 and 8GB iPhone 4 from "obsolete" to "discontinued," meaning the cessation of official repair support. These two models held important positions in iPhone history for their technological innovations, particularly the iPhone 5's introduction of the Lightning connector and LTE support.

K-LinePoet

2026-03-24 20:28:21

Abstract generation in progress

Tech News Today, March 17 — Technology media AppleInsider published a blog post yesterday (March 16), reporting that Apple has updated its product warranty page, changing the status of the iPhone 5 and 8GB iPhone 4 from “Vintage” to “Obsolete.”

IT Home quotes an official Apple announcement, highlighting the differences between the two statuses:

Category	Definition (Duration since discontinuation)	Official Repair Support
Vintage	Over 5 years but less than 7 years	Limited support: depends on parts availability; repairs are not guaranteed.
Obsolete	Over 7 years	Discontinued support: Apple no longer provides hardware repairs or parts.

Apple launched the iPhone 5 in September 2012 and discontinued it in 2013. Its actual support period has long exceeded Apple’s “Obsolete” time window.

Throughout the years of iPhone product updates, the iPhone 5 has played a significant role. It was the first to introduce the Lightning port, replacing the 30-pin connector used for many years, establishing a new standard for iPhone accessories for over a decade.

Additionally, Apple redesigned the device with a thinner aluminum and glass body, increased the screen size from 3.5 inches to 4 inches, and was the first to include LTE network support, allowing more users to experience high-speed cellular data during the rapid expansion of mobile networks.

Since late 2025, several former mainstream products have also been added to Apple’s warranty list:

iPhone Series:

Vintage: iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 8 (Red), iPhone 7 Plus.
Obsolete: iPhone SE (1st generation), iPhone X, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 6s Plus.

Mac Computers:

Vintage: The last Intel-based MacBook Air (2020 model).
Obsolete: MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, early 2016), MacBook Pro (2016 model), etc.

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