Apple's First Lightning iPhone is Now Obsolete

Monday March 16, 2026 11:46 am PDT by Juli Clover

The iPhone 5 that launched back in 2012 is now considered obsolete, according to Apple's list of vintage and obsolete products. Apple moved the iPhone 5 and the 8GB iPhone 4 from the vintage list to the obsolete list today.

iphone 5
A device is "vintage" when it has been five years since it was last distributed for sale, and "obsolete" at the seven-year mark, though Apple sometimes stretches its timelines. For vintage products, Apple retail stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers can provide repairs if the required parts are available. Devices that are obsolete are generally not eligible for repair and Apple stops providing repair components.

Apple released the iPhone 5 in 2012 and discontinued it in 2013 after launching the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c. The iPhone 5 was added to the vintage products list in 2018, at which point repairs became limited based on parts availability. Now that the device has moved to the obsolete list, repairs will be largely unavailable.

The iPhone 5 featured an updated design with a glass and aluminum body, a taller 4-inch display, LTE support, and the first-ever Lightning port that replaced the 30-pin connector.

As for the 8GB iPhone 4 that was also added to the obsolete list, Apple introduced it in 2011 and then discontinued it in 2013. Both the 8GB iPhone 4 and the iPhone 5 were sold as low-cost devices in emerging markets after being discontinued in the United States.

Tag: Vintage and Obsolete Apple Products

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Top Rated Comments

headlessmike

7 months ago

Mine still looks the part if you ask me! Unfortunately unusable as a phone now due to the demise of 3G, but iOS 10 still works well with iCloud and Apple Music.

Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)

jonnysods

7 months ago

Man, iPhone 5... perfect size and weight, such a great phone.

Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)

yossi

7 months ago

This and the original SE are my favorite form factor and size

Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Porco

7 months ago

When iPhones were smartphones not fumblephablets

Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)

abatabia

7 months ago

I still remember getting mine day one at radio shack back when they were $200 for the year. It felt so huge to me and I remember the hoopla over the change from the 30 pin connector. Back when you really felt a difference year over year. Good times.

Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)