Apple declares last polycarbonate MacBook model obsolete

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited May 2017
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:
  • 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)
Apple routinely obsoletes legacy devices as new hardware versions -- or new products -- take their place. In November, for example, the company announced a few 2009 and 2011 model year Macs, including 2011's 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro variants, would no longer be supported due to their "vintage" status.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    seafoxseafox Posts: 90member
    Damn. I actually have one of these. I guess Sierra is the end of the line for me.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 11
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    seafox said:
    Damn. I actually have one of these. I guess Sierra is the end of the line for me.
    Wait, you can run Sierra legit on that thing, but my Early 2009 Mac Pro had to use a hack?! Unbelievable.

    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.
    SpamSandwich
  • Reply 3 of 11
    croprcropr Posts: 1,122member
    I have 2 of these white macbooks still in use, one for my wife to read her emails and do basic web surfing, one to publish iOS apps to itunes connect.  I really have loved these machines as the RAM and disks could be upgraded. The only downside is that on both machines the rubber bottom has come loose the due to heath dissipation
    pscooter63almondroca
  • Reply 4 of 11
    NemWanNemWan Posts: 118member
    seafox said:
    Damn. I actually have one of these. I guess Sierra is the end of the line for me.
    Vintage means the end of hardware repair support, but software support can sometimes continue longer. El Capitan in 2015 supported some 2007 machines that had been Vintage for a couple years. Sierra too supports one or two generations of Vintage Macs, and maybe future versions of macOS will hold the line on system requirements as 10.8 through 10.10 did for older Macs with enough memory.
    watto_cobrapscooter63macxpressmacxpresscurtis hannah
  • Reply 5 of 11
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    I have now added my G4 white MacBook to my historical display in my office along with a beige G3 Power Mac and SE30  (all working fine I should add) .  Sadly my Mac II FX and Mac Plus (1984 model) bit the dust as I only keep working models.  Oddly, I've never felt the desire to keep any post intel Macs, I've sold them as I upgraded.  I did have a few cheese graters for a while but they were just too darned heavy to love.
    edited May 2017 pscooter63almondroca
  • Reply 6 of 11
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    MacPro said:
    I have now added my G4 white MacBook to my historical display in my office along with a beige G3 Power Mac and SE30  (all working fine I should add) .  Sadly my Mac II FX and Mac Plus (1984 model) bit the dust as I only keep working models.  Oddly, I've never felt the desire to keep any post intel Macs, I've sold them as I upgraded.  I did have a few cheese graters for a while but they were just too darned heavy to love.
    Whats a G4 white MacBook?
  • Reply 7 of 11
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    macxpress said:
    MacPro said:
    I have now added my G4 white MacBook to my historical display in my office along with a beige G3 Power Mac and SE30  (all working fine I should add) .  Sadly my Mac II FX and Mac Plus (1984 model) bit the dust as I only keep working models.  Oddly, I've never felt the desire to keep any post intel Macs, I've sold them as I upgraded.  I did have a few cheese graters for a while but they were just too darned heavy to love.
    Whats a G4 white MacBook?
    You're right, G4 white iBook :)

     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 ;)
    edited May 2017
  • Reply 8 of 11
    lwiolwio Posts: 110member
    Just got a white 2007 MacBook up and running again. The hard drive had failed and optical disk drive is not working either. Swaped the HD for a SSD I had spare and left the disk drive, I can install the OS via USB. It can do 10.7 in theory but 10.6.8 is much quicker on this. Machine works well but there are some web glitches using this older Safari.
  • Reply 9 of 11
    scarbrdscarbrd Posts: 1member
    I have a store that sells pre-owned Macs. We routinely take these 2010 MacBooks and install 16GB RAM and a 500GB SSD and they scream. 

    Nice way to have a retro looking Mac with decent resources running Sierra for $500-$600 retail. 
    teaearlegreyhotzoetmbloquiturpulseimages
  • Reply 10 of 11
    christopher126christopher126 Posts: 4,366member
    One of my favorite Apple products. When everyone was carry pall-bearer gray or funeral black PC laptops, I had this beautiful white Apple MacBook! Loved it. :)
    applecored
  • Reply 11 of 11
    Apple has to draw the line somewhere, but I don't like the idea of not being able to do a minor repair on a machine that is in otherwise pristine condition.
    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.
Sign In or Register to comment.