On April 1, 2024, Apple updated the obsolete products and vintage products list, announcing that the iPhone 6 Plus was officially added to the obsolete product list, while the iPad mini 4 was classified as a vintage product.
The news, while shocking, was expected. After all, with the advancement of technology and changes in the market, the iPhone 6 Plus was already a product 10 years ago, and it has been five years since the iPad mini 4 was discontinued.
Term Analysis
- Vintage products:
For devices that have been stopped distributing for more than 5 years but less than 7 years, Apple will stop producing repair parts, but will still provide repair services.
- Obsolete products:
Of course, it does not really mean the discontinuation of production, but refers to device that has been stopped distributing for more than 7 years. For such products, there is no longer any official hardware repair service, and service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products. (For example, the iPhone 6 Plus has just been included.)
iPhone 6 Plus Retrospective Journey
Top-selling iPhone
With the increasing demand of consumers for large-screen phones, Apple released the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus at the autumn event in 2014. The iPhone 6 series was the first to use a 2.5D curved screen and NFC-enabled phone with an A8 chip and support for iOS 8 to iOS 12. The emergence of iPhone 6 Plus not only won the favor of countless consumers, but also recorded the best sales in the history of the iPhone. According to incomplete statistics, iPhone 6/6 Plus has sold about 220 million units worldwide, making it the most sold iPhone model so far.
Pass into history
However, any product has its life cycle. With the passage of time, the hardware configuration of iPhone 6 Plus is not strong enough to meet the growing performance needs of users. After upgrading the system, users generally reported that the iPhone 6 Plus had problems such as freezing, heating and shortened battery life.
With the continuous advancement of technology and the upgrading of the market, the iPhone 6 Plus was also replaced by new iPhone models and was officially discontinued in September 2016. By Apple's standards, it has now been completely abandoned by Apple.
Although iPhone 6 Plus has been discontinued, its position in Apple's product lineup cannot be ignored. Reviewing the background and features of its release, we can find that the launch of iPhone 6 Plus was a bold attempt by Apple to make a large-size screen, laying the foundation for subsequent large-screen phones such as the iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone 7 Plus.
Why Did Apple Choose to Classify iPhone 6 Plus as an Obsolete Product?
- From a sales perspective, with the continuous launch of new models, iPhone 6 Plus sales have gradually declined, and market demand is no longer as strong as in the past.
- From a maintenance perspective, as time goes by, the repair parts of the iPhone 6 Plus are becoming more and more difficult to obtain, and repair costs are gradually rising.
Therefore, Apple chose to classify iPhone 6 Plus as an obsolete product in order to better optimize the product line and improve overall operational efficiency.
Implications of the iPhone 6 Plus Discontinuation and Its Impact on Consumers
According to an update on Apple's official website, the iPhone 6 Plus has been included in the obsolete product list, which means that Apple will stop providing repairs or all other hardware services for this phone, and even service providers will not be able to order parts for it. For consumers who are still using it, this is undoubtedly a big blow, because once the phone has problems, repairs will become extremely difficult.
Apple's Proposal
Back in 2017, Apple pointed out in the document that the use cycle of MacBook equipped with OS X operating system and Apple TV equipped with tvOS operating system is approximately 4 years, and Devices such as iPhone and Apple Watch with iOS and watchOS have a life cycle of about three years.
In fact, Apple also attaches great importance to how to extend the service life of Apple products. In order to make users' iPhone last longer, Apple provides various tutorials and suggestions on the official website to teach you how to better use and maintain the device, such as battery optimization tips.
The iPhone 6 Plus is finally history. Have you ever used iPhone 6 Plus? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences on the iPhone 6 Plus in the comments section.
