Apple just announced its farewell to another one of its legendary devices

The American tech giant Apple is known for eventually retiring its popular devices. Now, another name has been added to that list.

Today, Apple added its original 12-inch MacBook model to the list of obsolete products. This implies that Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers are no longer providing repair or service support for this laptop.

Debuting in March 2015, the 12-inch MacBook was celebrated for its light and slender design, tipping the scales at a mere two pounds. The entry-level model, priced from $1,299, offered standard specifications such as a 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor, integrated Intel HD 5300 graphics, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB solid-state drive.

Apple's ex-marketing head, Phil Schiller, lauded the MacBook at its launch, stating that it embodied the future of the notebook. He highlighted its numerous innovations, including a fanless structure, ultra-thin Retina display, full-size keyboard that was 34% thinner than its predecessors, all-new Force Touch trackpad, versatile USB-C port, and an advanced terraced battery design.

Apple just announced its farewell to another one of its legendary devices

However, this 12-inch MacBook was the first to incorporate Apple's controversial butterfly switch keyboard design. This design choice was heavily criticized for its tendency to fail and, following years of customer complaints and legal actions, was eventually phased out of the entire MacBook series. The last update for the 12-inch MacBook was released in June 2017, and the model was officially discontinued in July 2019.

A product is deemed technologically obsolete by Apple once it has been more than seven years since the company ceased distributing it for sale. The original 12-inch MacBook, discontinued in April 2016 with the launch of an enhanced second-generation model, recently crossed this seven-year threshold.

In related news, Apple also designated the stainless steel models of the Apple Watch Series 2 as vintage, following the classification of the aluminum Series 2 models as vintage in November of the previous year. The vintage product list includes devices that Apple has not sold for more than five years but less than seven. While service and parts for these vintage devices may be provided by Apple for up to seven years, or as mandated by law, the availability of repairs depends on the availability of necessary parts.