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What does this mean to you?

(NEXSTAR) — When you hear the term “vintage,” images of older items like a rotary-dial phone or perhaps a first-generation iPhone (one of which sold for about 380 times its original cost last year) may come to mind.

But you might not consider the iPhone you’re reading this on or the AirPods you’re currently wearing to be vintage.


Spoiler alert: This may be the case.

Apple recently reclassified three of its products — all introduced in 2016 or 2017 — as vintage and on the verge of becoming obsolete.

As first reported by MacRumors, the devices include the iPhone X, the original HomePod, and the original AirPods. The latter was released in 2016, while the iPhone X came out in 2017 and the HomePod in 2018.

While Apple says its “products are designed to last,” it considers products that it discontinued “more than 5 years and less than 7 years ago” to be vintage. During that time, Apple’s service providers can continue to provide parts and service for vintage products.

iPhone X is currently the seventh classic iPhone model, while the first-generation HomePod and AirPods are the only classic models in their class.

Not sure what your model is? On your iPhone, you can check in the Settings app, under General, then About. First-generation AirPods have model numbers A1523 or A1722 (found on the AirPods themselves, or by going to Settings on your phone and tapping AirPods in the Bluetooth section).

In a few years, these products, like all before them, will become “technologically obsolete.” This means that Apple will end all hardware servicing for these products, and service providers will no longer be able to order parts for them.

Most first-generation products, including the original iPod and Mac desktop computers, are considered obsolete. Popular products in the vintage phase include the fourth-generation iPod touch, the iPhone SE, and various Beats models.

Being labeled as vintage or obsolete doesn’t mean a device is useless. However, it can be harder to repair or service. You could also miss out on the latest updates. For example, the iPhone X won’t be able to download the next major iOS update when it’s released later this year. (It’s worth noting that the iPhone X also wasn’t able to download the latest iOS update.)