Apple ends technical support for iPad Air

Apple is known for providing software and technical support for its devices long after they’ve been launched. The company will continue to offer repairs for seven years from the date a product is discontinued, after which it will be closed.

The iPad Air, which was released in October 2013, is now affected by this Apple support regulation. The tablet has not been available since March 2016, which is why it should now be included in the list of “obsolete” devices. TECHBOOK explains what that means.

iPad Air no longer receives technical support

At that time, the iPad Air was launched as a lighter and thinner alternative to the standard iPad and had, among other things, a significantly better display and more performance. Anyone who bought the Air between 2013 and 2016 made a good investment. It is one of the Apple products that has received software support for the longest time. Since launching with iOS 7.0.3, it has received a full nine years and two months of updates. While new iOS versions ended after 12.5.7, even now the device still receives occasional security patches.

The situation is different with the technical support, because this is now finally ending. Anyone who still wants to have the original iPad Air repaired should do so as soon as possible. Because an Apple internal message that the portal “MacRumors“ is available, the tablet is to be included in the list of discontinued – i.e. obsolete – products on May 31st. This means Apple will no longer offer repairs and service providers will no longer be able to order replacement parts from the company.

Also read: Apple stops production of cult device

When is an Apple product “obsolete”?

What the technical support Apple divides its products into three categories:

  • supported devices
  • vintage devices
  • discontinued (obsolete) devices

Apple products are considered supported for up to five years after discontinuation of sale. That means Apple offers repairs and parts for it. The vintage level applies to devices that were discontinued for sale more than five and less than seven years ago. This means that Apple will only offer repairs if the replacement parts are available. The exception to this is France, which requires the company to offer repairs for certain products for seven years. iPhones and Macs purchased after December 31, 2020 are affected.

Devices that have not been on sale for at least seven years are considered discontinued. This means they no longer receive technical support in the form of repairs, either from Apple itself or from certified service providers. Defective devices can then only be repaired in unauthorized workshops, but they do not have access to original Apple spare parts.

Not only iPad Air loses support

In addition to the popular tablet, Apple is also stopping repairs for the Tunderbolt display. The monitor was on sale from 2011 to 2016 and only got a successor in the form of the Pro Display XDR in 2019. With a 27-inch diagonal, 1440p resolution and an integrated 720p webcam, the Thunderbolt display was excellently equipped for the time. However, since it used the Thunderbolt connector, it was only compatible with Macs, but offered a number of additional ports. Including USB, FireWire, Gigabit LAN and another Thunderbolt port. However, the price was also quite high at 999 euros.

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