The first Apple Watch is now “obsolete” for Apple. But what does that mean?

It was a “revolution”, it became a technological dinosaur. The first Apple Watch has just joined the list of “obsolete” products at Apple. We explain to you what that means.

Unveiled with great fanfare in 2014, the Apple Watch has become one of the most recognizable products in Apple’s catalog. Sold at the time as “ the most personal product ever created », the first Apple Watch of the name bows out today, since it officially joins the list of “obsolete” devices at Apple. But behind this term lies a reality that is a bit more complex than it seems.

What is an “obsolete” product for Apple?

On the company’s official information page, there is a fairly clear explanation of what an obsolete product is. For the firm, these are the gadgets that “ have not been manufactured for more than seven years “. As noted, Apple “ no longer performs hardware repairs on obsolete products, without exception ”, and authorized service centers no longer order spare parts for these devices.

This qualification of “obsolete” differs from that of “ old products » whose marketing has been interrupted « more than five years ago and less than seven years ago “, and which can still be repaired in Apple’s authorized centers, but within the limits of stocks of spare parts available.

Because this is indeed where everything is at stake. The French Consumer Code specifies that a manufacturer cannot stop the provision of spare parts before a period “ less than five years » after the end of the marketing of the device. The first Apple Watch of the name having left shelves seven years ago, Apple has therefore definitively stopped handling requests for spare parts.

An “official” end of life that doesn’t say everything

Please note, however, that for iPhones and Macs sold after 1^er December 2020, Apple provides spare parts for 7 years “ from the date the product model was last distributed by Apple “.

But even if the first Apple Watch is now considered obsolete, that does not stop the most DIY people from continuing to use their watch. Some stores still sell spare parts for the very first Apple Watch model, and nothing stops a store from repairing your Apple Watch if they still have spare parts in stock. Be careful though, the price of such repairs can be high. Only Apple Stores will officially stop repairing old watches.

The original Apple Watch is also no longer supported software by Apple. This means it can become a vector for potential attacks into your digital life. Unless you have a very specific use for your first Apple Watch, it is therefore advisable to relegate it to your personal museum of vintage gadgets.

Sources: Apple, MacRumors