Apple declares last polycarbonate MacBook model obsolete
Apple on Monday added a handful of MacBook models to a running list of "obsolete" and "vintage" hardware, including 2010's 13-inch MacBook, the last of the company's laptops to feature a polycarbonate outer shell.
Introduced in 2006 as an entry-level iBook replacement, the 13-inch MacBook was also the last of Apple's laptop offerings to make the shift from Power PC to Intel. Later revisions, like a redesign in 2009, benefitted from a modern unibody construction wrapped in a layer of Apple's then-vogue white or black polycarbonate material.
Apple pulled the 13-inch polycarbonate model from store shelves in 2011 as consumer tastes trended toward aluminum designs like the MacBook Pro and, later, MacBook Air. The laptop remained available to educational institutions until 2012.
According to an Apple support document covering legacy product support, the 2010 13-inch MacBook is now among those devices considered "vintage" in the U.S. and Turkey, and "obsolete" in the rest of the world. Devices that fall into the "vintage" category are excluded from ongoing support except in regions where strict repair laws preclude such prohibitions.
The change in support was spotted by MacRumors earlier today.
Other models declared obsolete on Monday include:
Introduced in 2006 as an entry-level iBook replacement, the 13-inch MacBook was also the last of Apple's laptop offerings to make the shift from Power PC to Intel. Later revisions, like a redesign in 2009, benefitted from a modern unibody construction wrapped in a layer of Apple's then-vogue white or black polycarbonate material.
Apple pulled the 13-inch polycarbonate model from store shelves in 2011 as consumer tastes trended toward aluminum designs like the MacBook Pro and, later, MacBook Air. The laptop remained available to educational institutions until 2012.
According to an Apple support document covering legacy product support, the 2010 13-inch MacBook is now among those devices considered "vintage" in the U.S. and Turkey, and "obsolete" in the rest of the world. Devices that fall into the "vintage" category are excluded from ongoing support except in regions where strict repair laws preclude such prohibitions.
The change in support was spotted by MacRumors earlier today.
Other models declared obsolete on Monday include:
- MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2010)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2.53GHz, Mid 2009)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009)
Comments
With the current MacBook being smaller and lighter than the MacBook Air, and with support for the plastic MacBook now EoL, I wonder if Apple won't finally unify the line and just call it MacBook. One name, Three sizes, Four colors. And if they maybe wanted to add a fourth size (cough17cough), I doubt people would mind.
I was focused on the white polycarbonate case not the name.
p.s. I'm sure like kitchen appliances this metal trend will end one day and we'll all be clamoring for white again
Nice way to have a retro looking Mac with decent resources running Sierra for $500-$600 retail.
I ran into this issue a couple of months ago. Due to an unusual situation, I needed a motherboard reset - open the case, remove stuff that is in the way, hit the button on the motherboard, then put it back together. Apple wouldn't do it, despite the fact that no parts were required. In the end, I had to yank the drive, trash the laptop, then go to eBay and go through the process of vetting machines, back-and-forth Q&A with sellers, etc., and I ended up buying a used version of the same model in good working condition, but having a heavily abused case.
(I should mention that iFixIt has instructions, but with this model the motherboard was do deeply buried that I wasn't up to dealing with the 47 steps in and 47 steps out.)
There was an independent authorized service place in town but they went under. The guy there was willing to do it on the side, without warranty, which would have been an option when he was still in town. Those who are stuck with an "obsolete" Mac could check into such things, but if parts are required, they would need to be pulled from another machine.