Apple declares iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 2 to be 'vintage' | Cult of Mac

Apple declares iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 2 to be ‘vintage’

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The iPad Air 2 was a great tablet for its day. But its day was almost a decade ago.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

The iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 2, a pair of tablets from nearly a decade ago, have been added to Apple’s list of vintage products. This somewhat limits the repair options for them.

It’s a step toward them being declared obsolete by Apple. But that won’t happen until at least ten years after the launch of these products.

Apple devices have long, long lifespans

While bad news for some people, the periodic announcement that a Mac, iPhone or iPad has been declared vintage or obsolete can serve as a reminder how long Apple computers remain useful.

The iPad mini 2 came out way back in 2013. It was the first 7.9-inch tablet from Apple with a Retina display. And the iPad Air 2 launched in 2014. It was the first tablet with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

All these years after they debuted, Apple is only just now dropping a hint that maybe it’s time to start thinking about replacing them.

iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 2 are vintage not obsolete

The tablets been classified as vintage because it’s been five years since they were last manufactured. With this designation, they can still get serviced by Apple and authorized service providers, but that’s “subject to parts availability,” according to Apple.

In 2024, they’ll be labeled obsolete, the end of the line for authorized repairs. But it’s going to be hard to dispute that designation for tablets that have been out since 2013 or 2014.

The last Apple products to be labeled vintage or obsolete were the iPhone 6 Plus and iPad 4 in February 2022.