Apple has officially reclassified the iPhone X as ‘obsolete,’ placing the 2017 smartphone in the most restrictive tier of its product support policy. This means Apple will no longer provide official hardware repairs or replacement parts for the device, affecting users who still rely on it.

Key Takeaways

• Apple now lists the iPhone X as ‘obsolete’ in its support documentation.
• Apple and its authorized service providers will not repair the iPhone X or supply replacement parts for it.
• Users with issues like a broken screen, degrading battery, or malfunctioning charging port will face difficulties getting official repairs.
• The iPhone X was introduced in November 2017 and discontinued in September 2018.
• Apple designates a product as ‘obsolete’ more than seven years after its distribution and sale have ceased.

What Happened: iPhone X Moves to Obsolete Status

Apple has reclassified its well-known smartphone, the iPhone X, into the most restrictive tier of its product support policy, known as ‘obsolete.’ Following this reclassification, Apple will no longer provide official hardware repairs or replacement parts for the iPhone X. Apple’s support documentation now lists the iPhone X as ‘obsolete.’

Under this ‘obsolete’ status, Apple and its authorized service providers typically do not repair the device or supply replacement parts for it. The decision means that users still using the iPhone X will face difficulties getting official Apple repairs for issues like a broken screen, a degrading battery, or a malfunctioning charging port.

Apple’s Obsolete vs. Vintage Policy

Apple generally designates a product as ‘obsolete’ more than seven years after the product’s distribution and sale have ceased. The final decision on when a product becomes ‘obsolete’ is made solely by Apple. The ‘obsolete’ status is more stringent than Apple’s ‘vintage’ status. For ‘vintage’ devices, repairs may be possible in some cases, provided the necessary parts are available.

iPhone X: A Design Milestone

The iPhone X was introduced in November 2017. Sales of the iPhone X were discontinued in September 2018, approximately 10 months after its introduction. The iPhone X introduced a major change in Apple’s smartphone design. It was the first iPhone to include Face ID and an OLED display. The iPhone X eliminated the traditional home button and Touch ID, introducing a display that stretched nearly edge-to-edge with a notch.

The iPhone X not only transformed the design of Apple’s flagship iPhones but also significantly influenced the design trends of the smartphone industry for the following several years. For more on Apple’s product lineup, visit Apple.