Apple Ending Hardware Repair Support For iPhone/3G/3G S

Beginning June 9th, Apple will cease repair support for multiple iPhone models in Apple Stores and authorized resellers after being discontinued and remaining supported for repairs over the past six years. An internal Apple Store memo has confirmed that the original Apple iPhone, Apple iPhone 3G, Apple iPhone 3G (China), Apple iPhone 3GS, and Apple iPhone 3GS (China) models will be considered obsolete as of next month.

The original Apple iPhone, which was already labeled “Obsolete” in most countries, will no longer have “Vintage” status in the U.S. and will therefore lose repair support unless in California or in Turkey, where “Vintage” devices are still required to be supported by Apple for an unspecified period after its own 5-6 year support cycle since initial release. Below, the definitions of “Vintage” and “Obsolete” as used by Apple to define its US product support cycle:

“All Apple Retail Stores and the Canadian, European, Latin American and Asia-Pacific operating regions follow the U.S. product list, but make no distinction between vintage and obsolete. When applied to Apple Retail Stores and these operating regions, products on the U.S. Vintage list (all models) are considered obsolete. Vintage products are those that have not been manufactured for more than five and less than seven. Obsolete products are those that were discontinued more than seven years ago.” -Apple