Socialism

A model becomes vintage six years after Apple discontinues if from the current product line. They discontinue hardware repairs, but continue with software and customer support. After eight years, a product becomes obsolete, and Apple will only provide customer support.

I’ve worked in the industry for a long time, and I can say that Apple supports their products for longer than their competitors. Their goal is to get people to eventually trade-in their functional device for an upgrade, so they can use the already refined materials in future devices. A loyal customer base is far more important to them than getting a quick buck this time around. They have their ways of making money, just like any other business, but planned obsolescence isn’t one of them.