How old is old? That is a great question in the context of technology and its life span. It can seem like as soon as you make that new purchase, it becomes yesterday’s news.
This is definitely the case when it comes to module electronics. Cell phones are constantly being redesigned every day to incorporate the next big trend or technology that manufacturers think the public will go crazy over. There have been iPhone updates nearly every year and several Android and Windows phones out every quarter — each with a different range of technologies, new features and target markets.
Computers are getting more and more complicated, and smaller and smaller as the technology develops and more powerful processing units can be packed into littler packages. For instance, look at the previous Mac Pro model and the current one; the new version is a fraction of the size and has way more processing power and capabilities.
So how can you anticipate when something will become outdated?
Technology technically becomes outdated when the hardware and software manufacturers no longer support your model of electronics. Whether it’s been discontinued or dropped as a product line, generally that means that you can no longer get help to repair or service your product. Then, it’s no longer a useful piece of technology if you’re out of luck if something goes wrong.
In the Service department, we often see computers that would be classified as “old” at 5+ years, meaning we can no longer get parts from Apple or service the software that originally came with the unit. Apple has a five year cut-off point; when a model hits five years old, it becomes “vintage.” Parts are no longer manufactured for vintage models and replacement parts are on an “as available” basis. When a model hits six to seven years old, it is classified as “obsolete” and no parts are available — any that are left over are recycled.
Now, what to do with your old machine if you have outdated technology that’s not working for you anymore?
I have an old G4 that is still kicking, but its processor is too slow upgrade to a supported Mac OS. Its usefulness has definitely passed, as I can barely surf the internet with it anymore — it’s often the case that internet browsers and coding technology change quickly, so if I can’t upgrade my OS, there’s not much I can do. The oldest supported Mac OS is 10.6 (Snow Leopard), so if you are running anything older than that, you’ll find you can’t update some of your software like iTunes.
Have a shiny new iPhone? Until you upgrade to something that can handle at least 10.6 or a Windows platform for the latest version of iTunes, you won’t be able to sync it with your computer. Apple and most Apple Authorized Service Providers won’t be able to service anything vintage or obsolete because they can only get authentic parts from Apple, which in turn, may not manufacture or distribute them depending on your status.
The bottom line is, if your machine or device is at least five years old, you should start thinking about upgrading to something that is able to be repaired if it breaks.
Editor’s Note: For more computer ownership best practices, and signs you may need to upgrade, this is a fun read. -KH