Apple releases new products almost like clockwork, with new iPhones and improved Apple Watches debuting in the fall of each year. To a lesser degree, the same can be said about iPads and Macs, which are refreshed at least once every few years. However, what happens to the products that are replaced? They eventually get discontinued, and sometimes they stick around in Apple’s certified refurbished store for a bit after that. Later, they get “vintage” and “obsolete” designations, which limit or end Apple’s hardware repair support for those products. But their accessories can live on in the Apple Store for well over a decade.
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You might not notice them when you walk in the Apple Store or by browsing Apple’s website, but these ancient accessories are there. From chargers to peripherals, there are products still sold on the Apple Store today that can be traced back to Apple devices from as early as 2006. Considering there wasn’t even an iPhone to speak of in 2006, that’s a long time. Today, we’re going to take a look at some of the weirdest and oldest Apple accessories you can still buy today.
5 MagSafe Power Adapter
For the 17-inch MacBook Pro — yes, you read that right
Let’s start with the Apple 85W MagSafe Power Adapter, which, at first glance, might look like any other MagSafe charger. Further inspection reveals that this power adapter is actually an original MagSafe charger, not a MagSafe 2 or MagSafe 3 cable. Apple created MagSafe in 2006 and shipped it on the first-ever polycarbonate MacBooks. The connector later appeared on the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. While it first had a block-style cable, Apple switched it to a right-angle connector in the following years. Although it looks a bit different, the 85W MagSafe Power Adapter sold on Apple’s website today can charge a 2006 MacBook with a 32-bit Intel Core processor.
Apple 85W MagSafe Power Adapter
It’s nearly 20 years old
This 85W MagSafe Power Adapter can be used to charge MacBooks as old as those from 2006. The list of obsolete laptops includes the 17-inch MacBook Pro.
4 30-pin to USB cable
The connector was discontinued a decade ago, but this cable lives on
Anyone who used mobile devices by Apple in the late 2000s and early 2010s likely remembers the 30-pin connector, often referred to as the “Dock Connector.” It was the main way to charge and sync iPods, iPhones, and iPads. At the beginning, it was the only way to do so. But the last iPhone to feature the 30-pin connector was the iPhone 4S, and the iPhone 5 debuted with the Lightning connector. Apple discontinued the Dock Connector in 2014, but the 30-pin to USB-A cable is still sold on Apple’s website.
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That’s true even though the last new product to ship with a 30-pin port was released a decade ago. In fact, the 30-pin connector can be traced back to the third-generation iPod, released in 2003. This cable technically can’t charge and sync the third-generation iPod on its own, since it still depends on FireWire for some functions. But, it’s still neat that you can get a brand-new cable for a port created more than 20 years ago.
30-pin to USB cable
It traces back to an iPod from 2003
The 30-pin dock connector has been replaced with Lightning and now USB-C, but this USB-A to 30-pin cable charges iPods, iPhones, and iPads of old.
3 Power Adapter Extension Cable
It’s a weird cable, but it’s actually somewhat useful — even today
The next product on this list is the Power Adapter Extension cable, which still has an abundance of utility even today. Nearly all of Apple’s older wall chargers use a regular computer power connector for charging, with a removable set of collapsible prongs pre-installed. If you slide the wall prongs off, you can connect any standard computer power cord to the power adapter for charging. But the Power Adapter Extension Cable is specifically designed for this purpose, adding 1.8 meters of extra length and grounding your MacBook’s power adapter.
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It’s still useful today, if you have an older power adapter, as a way to add length to your MacBook’s charger. Similarly, it takes the weight of the charger off the wall and grounds it, which is great for loose outlets. However, the reason this product is interesting is that Apple used to include it with your MacBook Pro purchase. The Power Adapter Extension Cable is a reminder of the past world when an assortment of accessories came with your Mac purchase.
Apple Power Adapter Extension Cable
This used to be included with MacBooks
This power adapter extension cable ditches the collapsible wall prongs on your charger for a longer, grounded alternative.
2 MagSafe to MagSafe 2 adapter
This strange adapter was needed due to limitations of Apple displays
The MagSafe to MagSafe 2 converter is one of the weirdest products sold by Apple. It looks like if you took a MagSafe 2 charger and completely cut off the cable. The accessory is just the head of the MagSafe 2 connector, with a MagSafe 1 port on the end. This allows you to use a MagSafe 1 port to charge a MagSafe 2 product. At this point, you might be wondering why this even exists. Well, before USB-C and Thunderbolt specifications offered power and data transfer over a single cable, Apple needed to use two. For example, on Apple’s older consumer displays, a MagSafe cable and a video cable were needed to both charge and connect to a MacBook. When people upgraded to MagSafe 2 laptops, Apple had to make this adapter to make sure they could still use Cinema and Thunderbolt displays.
MagSafe to MagSafe 2 converter
Made for Apple Cinema and Thunderbolt Displays
This tiny and strange accessory converts older MagSafe cables to the MagSafe 2 standard.
1 Apple USB SuperDrive
This disc drive dates back to 2008 and still sports a USB-A cable
Finally, we get to the Apple USB SuperDrive, formerly known as the MacBook Air SuperDrive. It was released with the MacBook Air in 2008, since it was somewhat shocking at the time that Apple would release a laptop without an optical drive. Essentially, this product was the same SuperDrive that would be found in MacBooks Pro from the same era. That is, except for the fact that this one was inside an aluminum housing and connected over USB-A. Though the accessory was rebranded to USB SuperDrive when all MacBooks lost the optical drive, it’s still the same piece of hardware that debuted 16 years ago.
I’ve saved the USB SuperDrive for last because it’s an ancient product that might warrant a refresh some day. A tethered optical drive made by Apple with a USB-C connector and Blu-ray support would actually be useful for some Mac users. Sure, physical media is dead when compared to digital media, but there are plenty of people who still have CD, DVD, and Blu-ray collections. However, with a USB-A cable and without Blu-ray support, the USB SuperDrive is a woefully-outdated product that I’m surprised Apple still sells.
Apple USB SuperDrive
It’s still using a USB-A cable
Apple’s USB SuperDrive is a portable optical drive that can connect to Mac computers with a USB-A cable.
Why are these accessories still sold?
It’s easy to question why Apple still sells these accessories, some of which date back to the iPod days. But make no mistake, it’s a good thing that Apple keeps these products around. As companies tout lengthy years of software support for phones or laptops, you should remember that product support goes beyond just software. Parts, tools, and even things like cables and adapters need to be available for years after a product is discontinued. While it’s perplexing that some of these accessories can still be bought new from Apple, it’s an indicator of the company’s stellar after-sale support.
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