The 15-inch MacBook Pro released in 2012 broke new ground, as it was the first Mac to get a Retina display. But it’s now been discontinued for many years, and is reportedly about to be classified as obsolete.
Anyone still holding onto this classic laptop needs to know what this classification means.
15-inch MacBook Pro from mid-2012 going obsolete
A Mac doesn’t suddenly stop working just because Apple labels it obsolete. The 15-inch MacBook Pro released in 2012 was a high-end machine in its day, and is still capable of providing reasonable performance for common tasks, like email or social networking.
But after so many years of use, the battery is likely to be on its last legs. And getting a new one is apparently about to become more of a challenge. That’s because the mid-2012 15-inch MacBook Pro will be reclassified as obsolete on June 30, 2020, according to an internal Apple memo leaked to MacRumors.
Obsolete vs. vintage Mac
macOS and iOS computers and peripherals are considered vintage five years after they were last manufactured. With this designation, they can still get serviced by Apple and authorized service providers, but that’s “subject to availability of inventory,” according to Apple. Earlier this year, a number of MacBooks for 2013 and 2014 officially went vintage.
The 15-inch MacBook Pro from 2012 is currently a vintage device. But that doesn’t mean Apple abandoned it. This laptop can even upgrade to macOS Catalina, the most recent version.
But seven years after were last manufactured, products are labeled obsolete, the end of the line for authorized repairs. “Apple has discontinued all hardware service for obsolete products with no exceptions. Service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products,” notes the Mac maker.
So if you’ve been putting off getting some work done to your mid-2012 15-inch MacBook Pro, stop procrastinating.
