The Legacy of the iPhone X: A New Era Begins

Apple has officially retired the iPhone X, marking the end of an era for the device that introduced the modern Face ID generation. The tech giant has added the iPhone X to its list of obsolete products, signaling the end of official hardware support for the device. This move comes two years after the iPhone X was classified as “vintage,” alongside the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. Vintage products like the iPhone X are eligible for repairs on a best-effort basis, depending on the availability of parts. However, once a product becomes obsolete, Apple and its authorized service providers no longer offer any hardware support. The iPhone X’s transition to the obsolete list aligns with its timeline, as it joined the vintage list two years ago.

The iPhone X was a groundbreaking device that introduced features like the edge-to-edge OLED display, Face ID, and gesture-based controls. Despite its innovative design, the iPhone X had a relatively short lifespan in Apple’s lineup. It was announced alongside the iPhone 8 models in September 2017 but didn’t go on sale until November of the same year. Just ten months later, Apple discontinued the iPhone X with the release of the iPhone XS as its replacement. This short timeframe on the market set the stage for Apple’s future cycle of high-end flagships.

While it’s not uncommon for iPhone models to have a lifespan of about a year, the iPhone X’s limited time on the market was notable. The delayed launch of the iPhone X shortened its availability to just 313 days, making it one of the shortest-lived iPhone models in Apple’s history. This trend continued with the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which was discontinued after only 305 days on the market due to COVID-19 delays.

Apple’s standard iPhone models typically remain on the market for two to three years after their release, with the iPhone 8 recently being classified as vintage. This means that the iPhone 8 won’t become obsolete until sometime in 2027. Vintage and obsolete iPhone models are usually left behind on older iOS versions, with support ending at a certain point. The iPhone X, for example, was cut off from updates when iOS 17 was released, while the iPhone XS Max remained supported until iOS 18.

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