X

Ten Apple products you shouldn't buy (and three that you can't buy anymore)

Here's a list of Apple products that you shouldn't buy, along with one that you can't buy anymore.
By Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Contributing Writer
iPhone 7
1 of 13 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

iPhone 7

If 2017 is in line with previous years, Apple will unveil a new iPhone in September, which means that -- with only a few weeks until then -- buying an iPhone 7 now doesn't make a huge amount of sense (unless you're existing iPhone is broken and you just have to have a new one).

I'd recommend holding out on an upgrade until September just so you can see what the new iPhone has to offer.

iPhone SE
2 of 13 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

iPhone SE

While the iPhone SE got a storage bump in March 2017, the underlying hardware remains the same as the original hardware released in March 2016.

Apple may revamp the iPhone SE along with releasing the iPhone 8/iPhone 7s in September, so it makes sense to delay any purchases for a few weeks.

MacBook Air
3 of 13 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

MacBook Air

Once Apple's thinnest and lightest laptop, it now is neither of these things, with the MacBook taking that spot in the lineup.

The MacBook Air was last given a significant upgrade back on March of 2015, and rumors that it is being discontinued have been circulating for months.

Apple could dramatically simplify its Mac lineup by letting this ancient one go.

iPad mini
4 of 13 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

iPad mini

As the iPhone gets bigger, the case of the iPad mini gets weaker. This is doubly so if the OLED iPhone 8 ships with the rumored 5.8-inch display.

The iPad mini is also getting old, with the September 2016 update being only a storage bump.

Apple Smart Battery Case
5 of 13 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Apple Smart Battery Case

A $99 silicone case with a 2000mAh battery sandwiched into it doesn't make sense when you can buy bigger and better (and more ergonomic) powerbanks for a lot less.

Mac mini
6 of 13 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Mac mini

Once the low-cost gateway device into the Mac ecosystem, the Mac mini last saw refresh love from Apple in October 2014.

Nothing about the Mac mini makes sense any more. The form factor was based around the footprint of an optical drive, and the idea was that those switching up from a PC could keep their old peripherals and just slot the Mac mini into their workflow. Nowadays the focus is more on laptops, and the Mac mini feels like a relic of a bygone era.

Apple TV
7 of 13 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Apple TV

Apple once used to describe the Apple TV as a hobby, and it was supposed to be the device that gave the Cupertino, Calif.-based giant a foothold in the living room and the chance to revolutionize the way people watch TV.

But now, almost a decade on from its initial release, the Apple TV is no closer to changing the way people watch television. If anything, all it has accomplished is to turn the TV into a giant iPhone, where users have to wade through a myriad of apps and services to get the content they want.

Apple Time Capsule/AirPort
8 of 13 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Apple Time Capsule/AirPort

Now that Apple has disbanded the group responsible for these products, it's fair to assume that they're on borrowed time and that it's not going to see a refresh.

This is a shame since these products were rock solid and both easy enough for newbies to set up yet powerful and versatile enough for enthusiasts.

Mac Pro
9 of 13 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Mac Pro

With the iMac Pro on the horizon, and Apple executives making vague statements about a new Mac Pro, it's not a good time to be shelling out thousands of dollars on Apple workstations.

Apple Lightning cable
10 of 13 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Apple Lightning cable

I would never buy another Lightning cable from Apple, as there are far better alternatives on offer from companies such as Anker, Amazon, Nomad, and Paracable.

2017-08-0110-04-51.jpg
11 of 13 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

iPod

RIP iPod (Died July 2017)

Once Apple's top product, the iPod is now little more than a reminder of what propelled Apple into the consumer space.

Apple still sells iPods -- in the form of the iPod touch, iPod shuffle, and iPod nano -- but these are all years old. The iPod touch got its last refresh back in July 2015, while the iPod nano and iPod shuffle last got a major refresh (excluding new colors added to the lineup) in September 2012 and September 2010, respectively.

The only iPod still going is the iPod touch.

Thunderbolt Display
12 of 13 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Thunderbolt Display

RIP Thunderbolt Display (Died June 2016)

Apple's 27-inch Thunderbolt display was introduced in July 2011 as the ultimate display for high-end pros.

Apple's shortest-lived product: iPad 3
13 of 13 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

Apple's shortest-lived product: iPad 3

RIP iPad 3 (Died October 2012)

The iPad 3 deserves a special mention is any list of dead Apple products -- because it was Apple's shortest-lived product. Released in March 2012, it was superseded by the iPad 4 in October of the same year.

Related Galleries

Holiday wallpaper for your phone: Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, and winter scenes
Holiday lights in Central Park background

Related Galleries

Holiday wallpaper for your phone: Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, and winter scenes

21 Photos
Winter backgrounds for your next virtual meeting
Wooden lodge in pine forest with heavy snow reflection on Lake O'hara at Yoho national park

Related Galleries

Winter backgrounds for your next virtual meeting

21 Photos
Holiday backgrounds for Zoom: Christmas cheer, New Year's Eve, Hanukkah and winter scenes
3D Rendering Christmas interior

Related Galleries

Holiday backgrounds for Zoom: Christmas cheer, New Year's Eve, Hanukkah and winter scenes

21 Photos
Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6: Electric vehicle extravaganza
img-8825

Related Galleries

Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6: Electric vehicle extravaganza

26 Photos
A weekend with Google's Chrome OS Flex
img-9792-2

Related Galleries

A weekend with Google's Chrome OS Flex

22 Photos
Cybersecurity flaws, customer experiences, smartphone losses, and more: ZDNet's research roundup
shutterstock-1024665187.jpg

Related Galleries

Cybersecurity flaws, customer experiences, smartphone losses, and more: ZDNet's research roundup

8 Photos
Inside a fake $20 '16TB external M.2 SSD'
Full of promises!

Related Galleries

Inside a fake $20 '16TB external M.2 SSD'

8 Photos