According to MacRumors, Apple will add iPhone 6 Plus to its vintage product list starting from 2022. This means that the company has discontinued its cycle of production and sales in all markets. However, as a relief for the customers who continue to use Apple iPhone 6 Plus, authorised Apple service centres will offer repair for the product for up to seven years, subject to the availability of its parts.
Apple first launched iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in September 2014. The devices featuring 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches displays kickstarted the trend of larger displays in Apple iPhones. The devices were also the first to offer support to Apple Pay, A8 chip and enhanced cameras.
Apple discontinued iPhone 6 Plus smartphones in 2016, but iPhone 6 continued to be available until late 2018. iPhone 6 is yet to be declared as a vintage product. Apple has already stopped the software support for both variants.
Demand for iPhone 13 weakens, reports say
Meanwhile, there are reports and speculations that the demand for Apple iPhone 13 has reduced. The company is said to have informed its component suppliers about this reduction of demand. Already, Apple was facing scarcity to avail its parts and hence, it had cut down the unit's production by as many as 10 million. According to Bloomberg News, Apple was planning to make up for this shortfall by next year.
To boost the purchase of iPhone 13, the company had announced rebate programs, which enabled iPhone 12 owners to upgrade to iPhone 13 at a nominal cost difference. The shoppers in the US are said to be waiting for the booked devices for about a month.
Situations have changed, and the new COVID-19 Omicron could further slow down the market. By the time the market resurfaces for a better sale, Apple could be out with its next line-up. More significant feature changes are expected in the upcoming models, giving the customers a reason to wait. The buyers who were planning to upgrade could forego their plans as well. Overall, the future of the Apple iPhone 13 seems to be unsure, but Apple has not commented officially about the scenario.
Apple iPhones are Apple's flagship product. According to the data of last financial year, they account for nearly $365.8 billion in revenue for the company.
