Apple quietly kills 25 devices in 2025, ending the iPhone SE era & signalling a big hardware shift
From the iPhone SE to MacBooks and accessories, Apple removed 25 devices in 2025 as it aggressively streamlined its lineup and moved away from legacy designs.
On paper, discontinuations are expected. New models arrive, older ones leave. But look closer at what Apple chose to retire this year, and a clearer picture emerges: legacy designs are officially out, middle-ground products are being squeezed, and Apple wants fewer, sharper product identities.
From killing the iPhone SE line to gradually sidelining the Plus-sized iPhones, 2025 may end up being remembered as the year Apple fully shut the door on its transitional era.
The iPhone SE is not coming back
The most symbolic casualty of 2025 is the iPhone SE (3rd generation), discontinued shortly after Apple launched the iPhone 16e in February. With that decision, Apple didn’t just end a product - it ended an idea.There is no longer a single iPhone in Apple’s lineup that uses a Home button, Touch ID, an LCD screen, or a Lightning port. Even compact phones under six inches are now history.
When the original iPhone SE launched in 2016, it filled a very real gap. It was small, fast, and affordable, essentially a flagship brain inside an older shell. Apple refreshed the formula in 2020 and again in 2022, reusing the iPhone 8 design while upgrading the internals.
But consumer expectations have changed. Edge-to-edge displays, Face ID, and USB-C are now baseline features. Maintaining a phone built around decade-old design language no longer made strategic sense, even for Apple.
The message is clear: budget iPhones will exist, but nostalgia-driven hardware will not.
Slow death of the iPhone Plus experiment
If the iPhone SE represented Apple’s past, the iPhone Plus represented its indecision.Introduced as a larger alternative to standard iPhones without stepping into Pro territory, Plus models never quite found their footing. In 2025, Apple discontinued both the iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 15 Plus, further shrinking the line’s presence.
While the iPhone 16 Plus technically remains, industry chatter suggests its future is uncertain. Apple’s newer ultra-thin iPhone Air has effectively replaced the Plus Strategy - offering large screens with a distinct design identity rather than being a stretched version of the base model.
The Plus problem was simple, it was big, but not special. Apple no longer seems interested in maintaining products that sit uncomfortably between categories.
All iPhones Apple discontinued in 2025
Across the year, Apple removed the following iPhones from its portfolio| iPhone Models |
|---|
| iPhone 16 Pro Max |
| iPhone 16 Pro |
| iPhone 15 Plus |
| iPhone 15 |
| iPhone 14 Plus |
| iPhone 14 |
| iPhone SE (third generation) |
Some of these exits followed Apple’s normal annual cycle. Others, particularly the SE marked the end of long-running design legacies.
iPads
Unlike the iPhone lineup, Apple’s iPad strategy in 2025 was quiet and methodical. The company refreshed nearly every iPad with newer processors, while leaving designs largely untouched. As newer versions arrived, older ones were simply phased out.There was no grand statement here - just Apple tightening its tablet portfolio to reduce overlap and simplify buying decisions.
Discontinued iPads in 2025
| iPad Models |
|---|
| iPad Pro with M4 chip |
| iPad Air with M2 chip |
| iPad (10th generation) |
This steady approach reflects Apple’s confidence in the iPad category, especially as iPadOS continues to inch closer to macOS in terms of productivity features.
Apple Watch updates force older models out of the lineup
Wearables followed a familiar pattern. New Apple Watch generations arrived, older ones quietly exited.There were no dramatic chip upgrades or design overhauls, but Apple used the refresh cycle to clean up its Watch lineup and streamline choices for buyers.
Discontinued Apple Watch models
| Apple Watch Models |
|---|
| Apple Watch Ultra 2 |
| Apple Watch Series 10 |
| Apple Watch SE 2 |
Apple’s wearable strategy remains evolutionary rather than revolutionary - steady health improvements, incremental refinements, and strong ecosystem lock-in.
Macs
If there’s one area where Apple shows zero hesitation, it’s Macs and silicon. In 2025, several Mac configurations were discontinued as Apple pushed forward with newer M-series chips.Rather than killing entire product categories, Apple focused on eliminating internal competition - removing older chip options once newer ones became available.
Discontinued Macs in 2025
Mac Studio with M2 Max and M2 Ultra- 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4
- 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air with M3
- 13-inch MacBook Air with M2
Accessories quietly disappear as Apple moves on
Several accessories also vanished in 2025, some replaced, others simply retired.Discontinued accessories and related products
| Apple Accessories & Devices |
|---|
| AirPods Pro 2 |
| Apple Vision Pro with M2 |
| MagSafe Charger with Qi 2 |
| 30W USB-C Power Adapter |
| Lightning to 3.5mm Audio Cable |
| MagSafe to MagSafe 2 Converter |
The disappearance of Lightning-based accessories underscores what is now undeniable: Apple is completely done with Lightning.
The bigger picture: Apple leaves no room for compromises
Apple’s 2025 product cleanup isn’t about cutting costs or reacting to slow sales. It’s about clarity.Compact phones with outdated designs, large phones without a clear identity, and accessories tied to legacy ports no longer fit Apple’s roadmap. What remains is a tighter lineup built around modern standards, fewer compromises, and sharper differentiation.
For longtime users, some of these exits may sting. But strategically, Apple’s direction has never been clearer. The company isn’t looking backward, and after 2025, it’s made sure very little of its hardware still does.