Apple has officially marked the end of an iconic era. The iPhone XS, once a flagship of the company’s sleek design and performance, has now been added to Apple’s vintage list-joining the iPhone X and XS Max in retirement.
While the term ‘vintage’ may sound charming, in Apple lingo it simply means a product stopped being sold more than five years ago.
Launched in September 2018 and discontinued just a year later, the iPhone XS has finally crossed that five-year line. This transition doesn’t spell instant doom-it still qualifies for limited repairs at Apple Stores and authorized service providers, as long as the necessary parts are available. But once those parts are gone, so is your chance at getting it fixed.
And the clock keeps ticking. In just two more years, the iPhone XS will move to the ‘obsolete’ list, meaning Apple will wash its hands entirely-no repairs, no updates, and no exceptions. This is already the case for the iPad 5, which just made that leap to full obsolescence.
From a consumer standpoint, Apple’s long-term support is still among the best. Seven years of hardware and software support is impressive, even if the software updates become rare and limited over time. While the iPhone XS may not be getting the latest iOS versions anymore, Apple sometimes pushes out emergency security patches, but only in critical scenarios.
Other major players have only recently caught up. Samsung began offering 7 years of OS updates with its Galaxy S24 lineup in 2024, and Google followed suit with the Pixel 8 series in 2023. It’s a welcome shift for users who expect more longevity from their high-end devices.
So, if you’re still holding on to your iPhone XS, you’re officially in vintage territory. It had a good run-one that outlasted expectations for many. But the end is in sight. Time to start considering what comes next.