Apple products are known for their long lifespans, allowing them to be used even many years after release. However, the company itself sets deadlines for each product, including updates, support, and repairs.
That is why, after a while, in this case, about 5 years (since they are officially discontinued), they classify them as vintage, which means that although they will continue to repair it if we take it to an official Apple Store or SAT, they no longer guarantee that there is stock of certain components, and that they, for their part, will not manufacture more.
What to do with a vintage iPhone
The 5-year rule is not always followed, and it is the company itself that marks it as such after a time, which is usually around five years, but which depends on popularity, people who continue to use it, etc., although in this case it has already happened, and the iPhone XS has been classified as such.
The Max version had already been classified in this category in November of last year; however, its smaller sibling was still holding up, even though it’s already been called upon. This means that if you have one and it has some kind of problem, such as a malfunctioning speaker, a failing charging port, etc., it’s best to consider taking it in for repair now, as they may still have the necessary parts. If you wait, it might not happen, and the day you need it, you might be told it can’t be repaired.
Can I have it repaired in non-official stores?
This would be the second option, and the one most people choose, mainly due to the price of the repair, since it is usually much lower than the official one, and to change a screen, battery, or any other part, it is much easier to do, since replicas of these are usually made for much longer, and for a phone of that age, which does not have a warranty, and we do not know how long it will last, it is a more than feasible option.
In short, a vintage iPhone is still on Apple’s list of repairable parts, but only if it has the part. There’s no guarantee they’ll get it, unlike a newer one, where they always will. If you can’t get it from them, we have these unofficial repair shops, or even order the part ourselves online, and try to repair it. As we said, they can always be found, even if it’s many years old. Obviously, the quality won’t be the same as an Apple one, from the battery, which will last less, to the speaker, which will sound worse. But hey, for an iPhone that’s barely worth anything, it’s an option worth considering.
