Don't buy these Apple products: Holiday 2019 edition
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Apple has updated a whole swathe of products in its store over the past few months, but there are still plenty of shiny gadgets that are a bit old and aging that you should avoid.
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HomePod
Why you should avoid: The current HomePod is a first-generation device that was released over 18 months ago to offer a challenge to devices such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home speaker. But a year-and-a-half in the tech industry is a long time, and so it might be worthwhile holding out on buying one until we get a clearer idea of whether Apple is planning a refresh.
Hardware last updated: February 2018.
Apple TV fifth-gen
Guidance: Probably not going to see a refresh this year, so it's worth it if you feel like paying top dollar for last year's tech.
Apple's 5th-generation Apple TV, built around the A10X Fusion processor and coming with a choice of 32GB or 64GB of storage, was last updated over a year ago. It's still a great device, but the starting price of $179 feels hefty for something over a year old.
Don't be confused between this and the 4th-generation Apple TV (without the 4K branding) which is also still for sale. This was first released in October 2015.
Hardware last updated: The 5th-generation Apple TV 4K was launched in September 2017.
Mac Pro
Why you should avoid: Old, outdated, and Apple has already unveiled a replacement due in 2019.
Once the apex of Apple's computer line, the Mac Pro is now a dinosaur.
Now that Apple has unveiled the new Mac Pro, and slated it for release later this month (if all goes well), the old Mac Pro should be off of everyone's list (unless you rely on it and you have to replace one that's been taken out of action).
Hardware last updated: Price cut April 2017, but the Mac Pro has been unchanged since December 2013.
20-pin USB-C magnetic breakaway connector
iPad Pro 11-inch and 12.9-inch
Why you should avoid: The current iPad Pro line was updated a year ago, and a year is a long time in technology. What's worse is that the memory management in iOS 13 has made multitasking on this supposed laptop replacement frustrating and annoying.
Hardware last updated: October 2018.
Mac Mini
Guidance: Getting old, but a unique Mac that's super useful and affordable.
The last Mac Mini was four years in the making, so we could be having to wait three more years until we see the next Mac Mini update. However, the Mac Mini is unique in the macOS ecosystem in that it is a gateway system into the macOS ecosystem for people currently on Windows. It's also a low-cost way to get a macOS workhorse for those times when another beefier system would be overkill.
Hardware last updated: July 2019, but there could be a 16-inch MacBook Pro in the pipeline.
Apple Lightning cable
Why you should avoid: Buy something cheaper that will last you longer!
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.
But what about USB-C-to-Lightning I hear you ask? Well, for the first time you have an option outside of Apple now that Anker has released its Powerline II USB-C-to-Lightning cable, which is fully compliant with Apple's Made For iPhone (MFi) standard.
Status: Too expensive!