Apple has designated all Intel-based Mac minis as either vintage or obsolete, signaling the end of an era for these compact desktops, the company announced in an updated support policy. The 2018 Mac mini, the final Intel model, now joins earlier versions like the 2014 and older, reflecting Apple’s complete shift to its custom Silicon chips. For longtime users, small business owners, and tech enthusiasts, this move underscores a pivotal transition in Apple’s hardware strategy, reshaping the $80 billion personal computing market.
Vintage devices, unsold for over five years but less than seven, qualify for repairs only if parts are available, while obsolete models, discontinued for over seven years, receive no official hardware support. The 2018 model, lauded for its versatility, marks the last of Intel’s footprint in the Mac…