G4 as OBSOLETE on March 17, 2009? Classified by Apple

[Consultant]

Reports state that Apple will discontinue support for a number of Macs with PowerPC G4 processors on March 17.

OBSOLETE

None of the company's service providers will be able to order replacement parts for repairs for models older than 5? years. (exept in CA)
- PowerBook G4
- Power Mac G4 (Digital Audio)
- Power Mac G4 (Quicksilver)
- Macintosh Server G4 (Digital Audio)
- Macintosh Server G4 (Quicksilver)

VINTAGE

For those that are discontinued more than five and less than seven years ago, no service or parts will be available. (except in CA)
- G4? Xserve RAID
- G4? Xserve (Slot Load)
- G4? Xserve (Cluster Node)

Story from Apple Insider
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/02/05/apple_to_drop_support_for_certain_g4_macs_xserves.html

It is said that if you are in California, parts should be available for computers up to 7 year old.

Full list of Vintage and obsolete products as of Dec 2008. Not sure whether the upcoming ones are updated here or not.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1752

 

[masse]

is this so hard to believe? G4 is old. They can't support it forever. The newest powerpc mac is almost 4 years old. It is OBselete.

 

[SkyBell]

So...they're discontinuing support for 5 year old machines? Makes sense...

is this so hard to believe? G4 is old. They can't support it forever. The newest powerpc mac is almost 4 years old. It is OBselete.

Actually, I think the last PPC Mac was the PowerMac G5, of which newest models will be three years old this August.

 

[gnasher729]

So...they're discontinuing support for 5 year old machines? Makes sense...

Actually, I think the last PPC Mac was the PowerMac G5, of which newest models will be three years old this August.

My Quicksilver Mac, which would be one of the discontinued models, was made in 2001. That's about 7 1/2 years old now. I guess if it needs fixing then buying a MacMini G4 from eBay would be cheaper.

 

[Quu]

They are still covering the PowerBook G4's just not the oldest models. If you bought a PowerBook G4 in 2004, 2005 or 2006 you're covered.

 

[Old Muley]

Has it really been five years? Let me think...yup, 5 years this June for my G5. And for the G4's, well, it's been an eternity. Of course my memory is short and it still seems to me like we were transitioning from 680x0 to PPC just a few years ago...

 

[portent]

Not all PowerBook G4s

That list is pretty misleading with respect to the PowerBooks and XServes. Only older revisions have been de-supported.

The law in California requires Apple to keep parts in stock for seven years after the last unit was made. So the last PowerBook G4 models won't be "obsolete" at least until 2013, by Apple's definition, but the earliest (titanium) PowerBook G4 models have been "obsolete" for some years now.

Obviously, they're still selling new XServes, so those are certainly not "obsolete."

It's much easier to just remember "5 (7) years after you bought it" than trying to match up model designations.

 

[SkyBell]

My Quicksilver Mac, which would be one of the discontinued models, was made in 2001. That's about 7 1/2 years old now. I guess if it needs fixing then buying a MacMini G4 from eBay would be cheaper.

Ah, I thought the Quicksilver's were the last of the PM G4's. Either way, I suppose it's about time.

 

[danny_w]

I thought the last PowerBook G4 was October 2005. That means that in March 2009 they will only be 3.5 years old. By law I believe you have to continue spare parts for 5 years after the last product produced, which is when the Macbook Pro first shipped (sometime in 2006); I know that the company I work for follows this strategy.

 

[OllyW]

is this so hard to believe? G4 is old. They can't support it forever. The newest powerpc mac is almost 4 years old. It is OBselete.

So...they're discontinuing support for 5 year old machines? Makes sense...

Actually, I think the last PPC Mac was the PowerMac G5, of which newest models will be three years old this August.

Cassie is right about the G5 Power Macs. The last of the G4's were phased out starting with the introduction of the MacBook Pro which went on sale in February 2006 so some PowerBooks, iBooks and Mac minis are only 3 years old and these G4s are still supported.

 

[SkyBell]

I thought the last PowerBook G4 was October 2005. That means that in March 2009 they will only be 3.5 years old. By law I believe you have to continue spare parts for 5 years after the last product produced, which is when the Macbook Pro first shipped (sometime in 2006); I know that the company I work for follows this strategy.

I think it only actually applies to the original PB G4. (Titanium)

 

[JoeG4]

Doesn't apply to MDDs or FW800 G4s either, or Mac Mini G4s, FYI.

 

[Peace]

This just makes them collectors items and the value goes up!

 

[GGGUUUYYY]

my G4 is about ten years old and runs like a top. Top quality stuff!

 

[Aea]

Yea, they've been obsolete for a long time before, that's quite a long life according to apple, since any support program (sans enterprise hardware) has probably long ended. Apple is probably tired of keeping parts in stock for hardware that is so old.